New Beginnings
by Ani Sparrow
Summary: Follow Celia's continued adventures in this story. Rated for future chapters. Complete!
1. Chapter 1

The only people I own are the names you do not recognise from the film(s). I don't even own Celia Hammond!

Okay, okay, so I've had this hanging around for two weeks but haven't got around to uploading yet – so sue me! It's a very short chapter, just to bring things up to speed.

Who's seen the film yet? Tis great! Totally screws up everyone stories with various happenings, but great nonetheless!

…

**New Beginnings**

Celia looked up from the chair on the porch, smiling to herself at the antics of five-year-old Milly, and Connor, who had not long celebrated his second birthday. "Be careful of the nettles," she warned, knowing her son's penchant for grabbing hold of anything in the ground and pulling it out, which had resulted in many a stung hand and much wailing.

"I'll make sure he doesn't go near them" Milly grinned, picking her brother up and hoisting him over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes, spinning around and making them both shriek with laughter.

Celia shook her head ruefully and carried on with her sewing, leaving her two children to amuse themselves, but glancing up again as she heard horses hooves approaching their home. Her stomach lurched when she recognised the captain of the merchant vessel on which Oliver served and she bit her lip as she placed the sewing on a nearby table. "Milly, take Con inside."

"Aw, Mama…"

"_Now_, Millicent!"

"Mistress Fernan," the man nodded as he climbed down from his steed and watched the two protesting children go inside the house. Although she and Oliver had never married, the townsfolk of Cockburn always referred to Celia as Mistress Fernan.

"Captain Baker," she greeted, wringing her hands. "What's wrong?"

"I'm so sorry, lass – there was a storm…"

"No!" Celia gasped. "No…" She rocked to and fro in the chair, covering her face with her hands as she struggled to comprehend the awful news. "He can't be…"

"I lost five men that day, all washed overboard."

"But… why wasn't he lashed to the helm?" she wailed. "He always lashes himself on when the weather is bad."

"He had, as far as I know," the captain shrugged. "But the storm… it was bad – as bad as any I can remember."

"Oh, dear Lord," Celia sobbed, rocking harder and fighting the urge to be sick. "Oh, Oliver…"

"Here's some recompense for you," he stated, placing a leather pouch on the table beside her. "I'm sorry, Mistress, Mouse was a damned good man."

"T-thank you," she managed to gulp, snatching the pouch and hurrying indoors, sinking down the door as she closed it.

"Mama…? Mama, is Papa dead?"

"Y-yes, M-Milly," Celia sobbed, wrapping her arms around herself and keening loudly.

…

'_What am I going to do_?' Celia wondered for the umpteenth time since hearing the news of Oliver's death the previous day. '_I know there is the stash, but how long will that last_?' she worried, gently rubbing her stomach. '_Oh, Oliver_,' she lamented as she stared up at the ceiling from her bed. '_You never even knew about this one_…' Celia froze upon hearing a noise outside and pulled back the curtain carefully, stifling a cry of alarm as she spotted two figures approaching the house.

"Milly, Connor!" she hissed as she fled the bedroom and all but dived into the children's room. "We must go and you _must_ be quiet."

"Why, Mama?" Milly murmured sleepily, rubbing her eyes.

"Because I said so!" Celia grabbed both children and yanked them from their respective cots, ushering them into her room and shaking with fear as she heard men's voices outside.

"You see what's what, an' I'll go an' pay me _respects_ ter th'widow," a harsh, ugly voice sniggered.

"What about _my_ respects?" another voice put in petulantly.

"You can pay 'em after I have, all right?"

"Quickly," Celia urged. "Out of the window."

"But Mama…"

"Milly, listen to me. We are in danger and it is _very_ important that you both do as I say, all right?"

"All right, Mama," the little girl nodded gravely as she climbed onto her parent's bed and hoisted the window open while Celia fashioned a sling for Connor.

"Be careful," Celia fretted, as her daughter started to climb down, using the rough stonework of the house for foot and hand holds. '_At least she has her father's sure feet_…' "Here…" She tied to sling around a protesting Connor and lowered him as quickly as she dared, before Milly had even reached the ground. Celia yelped with fright as she heard the man climbing the stairs getting closer, and instinctively grabbed a pistol which Oliver had insisted on teaching her how to use, '_just in case_…' Celia gulped as she heard his voice in her head but shook herself, focusing back on priming the pistol and cocking it, then aimed it at the door with both hands clasped around the butt.

"Mama?" came Milly's voice from outside. "Are you coming?"

"Hide, Milly – and make sure you don't make a noise," she urged her daughter, never taking her eyes off the door and trying to still her violently trembling hands. "Leave," she hissed as a large, pock marked man pushed open the door to her room and entered it, checking as he saw a curvaceous blonde woman pointing a pistol straight at him.

"Yer don't know how ter use that," he mocked, taking a step forward and chuckling as she backed away.

"I-I do… m-my husband taught me how to u-use it," she stammered.

"Oi, Pete!" came the other man's voice from down the stairs. "Ya want ter see what I've discovered…"

"Aye?" Pete growled quietly. "Well yer want ter see what _I've_ discovered…" he grinned coldly.

"L-leave me a-alone…"

"Oh, I will, after I've had me bit of fun with yer - maybe sometime tomorrow, eh?"

"Mama!"

Celia's heart lurched on hearing Connor calling for her, making her aim waiver and her aggressor wasted no time in closing the gap between them until he was merely a few feet away.

"Put that down an' co-operate, an' yer nipper won't get hurt, eh?" he sneered, reaching out for her.

"No!" she cried, finding herself falling backwards, wondering what the loud explosion was, gasping as she glimpsed the man, also falling, with a shocked look on his face. "Oh…" she gasped, dropping the spent pistol and scrambling on to her knees as soon as she hit the floor. "Oh, Lord…"

"Pete? What th'hell's goin' on up there?"

Celia looked horrified towards the door as the heavy boots of the second man ran up the stairs and she fleetingly wondered if she'd had time to re-prime the pistol, realising in the same second that she wouldn't.

"Pete… fuckin' hell!" he swore, looking from his dead friend to the woman kneeling beneath the window. "Christ – I want no part of this! We were only meant ter rob yer…" He turned tail and fled back down the stair for all he was worth, leaving Celia crying and shaking in her room.

"M-Mama…?"

"Oh, God, Milly! Don't come in!" Celia shrieked, jumping to her feet and flying across the room to the door to prevent either of her children seeing the horror within. "I told you to hide!" she scolded, terror and anguish sharpening her tongue.

"I-I was frightened, Mama…" Milly wailed. "And Connor wouldn't come with me…"

"Oh, hush, my child," her mother cooed, scooping them both into her arms. "Hush, now… it's all over."

"W-will they h-hurt us?"

"No, they won't hurt us, Milly," Celia assured her young daughter, nuzzling her neck. "Come on, let us go downstairs and I'd do us a nice warm drink of milk, hmm?" she said in an effort to reassure the frightened girl. Celia released Milly and took her hand, leading her downstairs whilst carrying a sleepy Connor in her arms. A feeling of nausea swept over her as she saw a gaping hole in the wall, revealing the hiding place of her and Oliver's valuables and she felt fresh tears spring to her eyes. "Oh no…" she wailed, sinking to her knees in despair.

"Don't cry, Mama," Milly consoled, patting her mother's arm then wandering over to the hole and using a chair to climb up and reach inside.

"I-is there anything there?" Celia enquired hesitantly.

"No… wait! I've found something!" the girl cried excitedly, pulling out a leather pouch and jumping down from the chair to take it to her mother. "Look!"

"So you have," Celia smiled wanly, hugging her daughter to her. '_That will never last us – what am I going to do_?' she wondered for the second time that night. '_I'll go to the authorities at first light… but what if they don't believe it was self defence_? _What if they… hang me as a murdress_? _What would happen to the children? Oh, Lord, we must leave_! _But where to? I only know here and… Tortuga…_'

She sat on the floor for some time, chewing her lip and cuddling her children close to her as she tried to work out what to do for the best, each solution offering up its own set of problems. '_I can't go back and face Jack, not after what I did – but I did give birth to his daughter… and **that** was one of the reasons I fled_. _But if I stay I run the risk of not being believed and hanged, or at best, bonded and sent heaven knows where – what of Milly and Connor then, not to mention my unborn child_… _what's the worst Jack could do_? _He's not a vicious man, nor vindictive… I hope_. _Oh, Lord, help me_,' she pleaded silently, sighing with resignation.

Celia gingerly got up from where she was sitting, careful not to wake the two sleeping children, and she crept back up the stairs, her heart pounding with the knowledge that she would have to go back into her bedroom. She stopped outside the door and took several deep breaths before pushing it open, trying hard to avoid looking at the body on the floor as she stepped over it to reach the wardrobe to retrieve some of her clothes and a pair of boots and a pair of shoes from within. Celia glanced around the room, her eyes resting on a small painting of Oliver which had been done at a fair in Cockburn Town that Spring, and she had had it framed and hung it on the wall by their bed so she could say goodnight to him when he was at sea. '_I wish I could have loved you as you loved me_,' she lamented as she took it from the wall and carefully took the parchment out of the frame and rolled it, making a mental note to wrap it in some oilskin to keep it waterproof. With a last look around the room, Celia stepped back over her dead assailant and closed the door.

…

"_Tortuga_? What's a respectable woman like yer wantin' ter go ter Tortuga for, eh?"

Celia blanched as the captain of a fishing vessel leaned towards her as he spoke, his breath reeking of rum and his clothes of fish. "That's my business," she declared. "Would you be prepared to take passengers?"

"Ain't got no room for yer, have I?" he cackled, showing a toothless grin. "Try the _Urchin _up the other end of the wharf. "Mercer could do with the extra dosh."

"Thank you," Celia smiled, picking up the knapsack containing what clothing of hers and the children's she could carry, along with food and the picture of Oliver, safely wrapped in oilskin, and ushering the two youngsters along the wharf, hoping that she would find a berth to Tortuga that day. She knew she had some leeway, as the sewing she had taken in was not due to be returned for another three days and no other visitors were expected before then. She stopped when she reached the sloop and looked for signs of life on board. "Ahoy, there!"

"Ya wantin' someone?" came a voice from behind her, and Celia whirled around, forcing a smile as she faced a bald, stocky man who was eyeing her appreciatively.

"I-I'm looking for the captain…"

"An' yer've found 'im," the man smiled charmingly, but which sent a shiver down Celia's spine. "What can I do fer ya?"

"I wish to sail to Tortuga – do you take passengers?"

"Tortuga…? Passengers…? Who would I be takin'? Not yer an' th'nippers, surely?"

"Yes, I have… _friends _there and I wish to visit them."

"I see… how much ya got?"

"S-seven guineas," she lied, hoping to keep the remaining five in case she needed it.

"_Seven_? Fer th'three of ya? Seven's fine if ya don't want ter eat anythin'."

"Just for passage? I don't think so!" Celia declared, picking up the sack and making as if to walk away.

"Ain't no one else will take ya ter Tortuga, not since th'battle," the captain of the _Urchin_ taunted.

"_Battle_?" Celia echoed, whirring back around and staring at him wide eyed. "What battle?"

"Th'one a few months ago, some pirate wanted ter take control of Tortuga an' Penhallick didn't want him ter…" He cocked his head to one side and regarded Celia with cool eyes. "Yer'll be wantin' ter check yer _friends_ are safe, eh?"

'_This is not a good idea… but where else can I go_?' "Who is in charge of Tortuga now?"

"Dunno," he shrugged, unconcerned. "So ya can't afford more than seven guineas fer passage an' meals, hmm? There are _other_ ways of payin' fer ya passage…"

"Wha…? Oh… I see… h-how much would passage be with food provided?"

"More than yer can afford, I'll warrant," he sneered. "Take it or leave it…"

'_If I say I have twelve guineas, he'll demand that and I'll be left with nothing… but I would have to… **give** myself to him…_' she shuddered involuntarily. "A-all right," she whispered, having no other option. "I-I agree your terms – but your word that myself and my children will not be harmed in any way."

"You have my word," Charlie Mercer grinned coldly. "We sail in two hours."

…


	2. Chapter 2

Nope, still ain't mine!

Thank you for the reviews, appreciated as always. Many thanks to Kat for her quick editing/read through. I thought being as you had to wait so long for this to be posted, I'd give you a treat and upload this one quicker! ;)

…

**Chapter two**

"Who th'bleedin' hell is that ship?"

"Ain't got a clue," Jacob Sumner replied, taking his spyglass and training it on the _Urchin_, frowning as he tried to work out what was going on. "They're lettin' someone down into a boat… looks like, a _woman_!"

"Eh? Shall I fire th'warnin' cannon?" Elliot Deane called from his lookout post on the opposite headland to his crewmate.

"Nah… it looks like… fuckin' hell, Deane! It's Celia – with a couple of bairns!"

"_What_?" the younger man exploded, looking at the small boat bobbing precariously in the wash of the sloop as the ship started to pull away. "She's goin' ter capsize!" Without a second thought, Elliot dived from the top of the cliff and into the water, swimming strongly towards the boat as soon as he emerged.

Celia watched in horror as the figure dived into the water, certain that they had just fallen to their death. Her eyes grew wider as a head bobbed up some distance from the rocks and started swimming towards the small boat, containing her and her children.

"Miss Celia!" Elliot panted as he neared the boat. "It's me!"

"Elliot?" she gasped in astonishment before shaking herself and helping him in to the boat. "What on earth…?"

"I might ask yer th'same thing," he grinned, wiping the dripping water from his eyes. "We searched everywhere f'yer!"

"Why were you on the cliff? How did you know it was me?"

"Me an'Jacob are on watch duties – he had his spyglass, didn't he."

"Watch duties?" she echoed. "W-who is in charge of Tortuga then?"

"Th'Cap'n," Elliot boasted proudly as he took up the oars and started rowing them towards the harbour mouth.

"_Jack_!"

"Aye, Cap'n Jack Sparrow! I'll take yer t'his mansion."

"N-no! I-I don't think that w-would be a good idea… I'll go to Aggie's – she is still here, isn't she?"

"Still here? Bleedin' hell, Celia – there've been some changes since yer were last here. Aggie runs her own brothel now!"

"Oh! My goodness…"

"Here, yer nipper's don't look so good," he pondered, frowning at the sight of the two un-naturally quiet children.

"No," she worried. "They've barely eaten for three days, nor had much to drink. The ship we were on… it was horrible, Elliot," she shuddered, taking one last look at the _Urchin_ as the sloop went on her way.

"Definitely better get yer ter th'captain's then," he declared. "Toby'll cook yer up a fine broth."

"_Toby_?" she gasped, smiling at the thought of the cook. "Don't any of you go to sea now?"

"Yeah, but we ain't been fer nigh on two months," Elliot lamented. "Been too busy makin' sure there's no trouble here, but th'cap'n has promised that we'll be back at sea next week, at th'latest!"

'_Oh, why couldn't I have come next week instead_…?' Celia rued, not entirely wanting to face her former lover again – at least, not so soon. "Please, Elliot, take me to Aggie's."

"Th'cap'n would have me guts fer garters, sorry," he chuckled, glancing across as they passed the black hull of the _Pearl_. "Oi! Any of yer lazy bastards awake?" he called, "'cos I've got a surprise…"

"What's that then?" came the voice of Matthias Swain and Celia looked up and waved at him excitedly. "Bloody Nora! Come an' look at this, lads!"

"Is it true that you searched for me?" Celia enquired once they had gone past the pirate ship and her waving crew.

"We looked an' asked everywhere we went fer a good year or so," Elliot confirmed. "We couldn't give chase when yer left b'cause of th'state th'_Pearl_ was in."

"I know," she nodded, "I was banking on that. Aren't you going to ask me why I left?"

"I think we can all guess at th'reasons – but that said, it ain't any of my business. It's between you an' th'cap'n." He threw the mooring line up to a dockhand and picked a listless Milly up and carefully placed her over his shoulder, carrying her up the steps and putting her down once he got to the top, reaching down to take Connor off Celia as she held him high before climbing up herself, her knapsack slung across her back.

"I'll take th'lass, eh?" Elliot offered, picking the girl up into his arms and leading the way up the hill.

'_I've climbed this hill many a time_,' Celia thought to herself, remembering when she worked for Ethan Penhallick, and wondering what had happened to him.

"Here we are," Elliot announced, interrupting her thoughts.

"_Here_?"

"Aye, th'cap'n didn't want ter live high on th'hill, he wanted ter be where he could get to th'ship quickly if needs be."

"I see…"

"Here, I'll take yer straight round th'back – that's where we all go in."

Celia looked at Jack's house, not quite as big as Penhallick's had been, and certainly not as ostentatious – at least, not from the outside, and she started as they came to the back of the building, seeing the unobstructed view it offered over the harbour and the mouth of the harbour, and Celia immediately saw Jack's reasoning on building his house there.

"It ain't quite finished yet," Elliot told her as he reached a door. "Just a few rooms that are habitable, includin' th'kitchen… Toby!" he yelled as he kicked open the door, his arms still being filled with the sleeping child. "We have a visitor or three…"

"Announce it ter th'bleedin' world, why don't yer?" the burly cook cussed, his glower turning to a frown as he saw the girl in his crewmate's arms. "Who…? _Celia_?" he gasped as she came into view. "What…?"

"Hello, Toby," she smiled, tiredness overcoming her now they had finally reached safety.

"Fer gawds sake, sit yerself down woman, before yer fall!" Toby strode across the kitchen and took Connor from her arms, then guided her to a chair and helped her to sit before placing her son on her lap. "I'll get us some grub dished out."

"Don't go to any trouble," Celia protested, moving Connor over to make room for Milly and hugging them both to her.

"It's never any trouble f'yer. I've got a stew almost done, anyway. Th'men'll have ter find somethin' else ter eat, eh?"

"All right," she agreed, watching as Toby busied himself stirring the stew then fetching some pewter bowls and spoons from the large cupboard which dominated his kitchen and ladling out generous portions into the bowls and carrying them over to the table.

"Yer look like yer haven't eaten in days."

"We haven't really," Celia sighed, taking a spoon and feeding Connor whilst Toby concentrated on her daughter. "Come on, darling," she urged, tipping the spoon back gently, feeling relief flooding through her as her son gulped it down and showed signs of wanting more, as did his sister, and the two children made short work of the bowls of stew. "The ship we sailed on was… rather horrible."

"Sounds like an understatement ter me," Toby remarked. "Come on, lass, yer need ter eat as well…"

"Five years…" came Jack's drawl from the doorway where he had been watching them. "Five years an' you turn up here an' expect ter be fed."

"I-I… Elliot brought me h-here," Celia stammered, not noticing as her son reached up and slurp the broth from the spoon she was holding, frozen in mid air. "I-I wanted to go to Aggie's…"

Jack looked from Celia to the young girl sitting on her lap and raised an eyebrow, smiling ironically to himself as he noted the child had the same hair and eye colour as himself. "So, where'd yer end up? An' you might as well eat that broth – save wastin' it, eh?"

Celia gulped and bit her lip in the face of his coolness and shook her head. "I've imposed too much," she said quietly. "I shall take my leave."

"What did you come back for?"

"I-I had to," she whispered, her face paling.

"Papa died," Milly piped up. "And some nasty men came and frightened us."

Jack frowned, torn between wanting to find out more and wanting his former lover to see how angry he was with her for running away and losing him the treasure of Geoffrey Goodluck. "I'm sorry about yer husband," he said eventually. "Were you in debt?"

"I-I…"

"I'll take th'nippers out an' show 'em th'pigs I got in a pen, shall I?" Toby put in, taking both the children's hands in his giant ones and leading them outside.

"N-no… w-word must have got out about Ol… my man's death for the following night two men came to rob me… and worse," Celia told Jack, answering his question.

"How did you get away?" the pirate captain queried, cocking his head to one side and he continued to watch her.

"I-I… k-killed o-one of them… my man taught me how to use a p-pistol," Celia gulped, blinking away tears. "T-the other one ran, b-but not before he robbed me of nearly everything we owned…"

"Bloody hell!" he swore, that possibility never having crossed his mind. "So why didn't you go to the authorities?"

"I couldn't, Jack!" she cried, her hand automatically going to her belly. "What if they hadn't believed me? I would have been hanged or bonded and I couldn't risk that."

"Well if you're what I think you are, they wouldn't have hanged you anyway – they don't hang pregnant women. Why _did_ you run from me?"

"B-because… I thought you wouldn't want to know, I thought you'd… I don't know, _reject_ me. And besides, I was angry with you for what you had done to the church, although I realised afterwards that you had done it for me. I-I'm sorry, Jack…"

"You never even gave me a chance ter prove myself ter you," he mused, shaking his head sadly. "An' now yer thought you'd see if I would help yer out, eh? Even though yer lost me th'treasure of Geoffrey Goodluck an' still owe me around forty guineas…"

"Y-you… _bastard_!" she hissed, jumping to her feet. "I never asked to be brought here – Elliot gave me little choice!"

"But why come back ter Tortuga at all, I wonder?" he mused, stroking his braids thoughtfully. "Could have gone somewhere respectable…"

"I'm a murdress, damn it! How on earth could I live somewhere _respectable_ ever again? There will be a notice out for me, and besides, Oliver brought your daughter up for five years – now it's your turn!"

"_Oliver_!" Jack gasped in shock. "As in Fernan?"

"Of course, as in Fernan!"

"So yer plotted all this between you?" he demanded angrily. "Thought you'd have a laugh at my expense?"

"Oh don't be so damned stupid, Jack!" Celia shouted. "Our paths crossed in Cockburn when I was heavily pregnant with Milly. He didn't hesitate to take on your child!" She stormed over to the door and yanked it open, striding across the garden to where Tobias was showing the two children his menagerie of animals. "Time to go, Milly, Connor."

"Can we come back again?" Milly asked eagerly. "Mister Toby said we could feed the pigs."

"Maybe," Celia muttered, taking both their hands and marching to the path leading around the side of the house. "You want your forty guineas, Jack Sparrow? You shall have it – by hook or by crook! And don't worry, I'm sure I will find some way of feeding Milly…"

…

"Sweet Jesus!" Aggie breathed as the blonde woman timidly walked into the hall of her brothel with a child holding each hand. "Celia…?"

"Aggie," Celia gulped, unsure of the welcome she would receive and still feeling shaken by her run in with Jack. "Hello…"

"Oh my God! Come here, you!" the red haired woman ran across the hall and embraced Celia in a bear hug, tears flowing down her cheeks. "Dear God, I thought y'were dead!"

"No," Celia gasped, trying to draw breath. "I ended up on Grand Turk."

"An' with a man I gather," the whore grinned, looking down at Connor. "She Jack's?" she mouthed silently, nodding at Milly.

"Yes," Celia confirmed. "I-I've just come from there… I wasn't going to go, but Elliot took me and wouldn't take no for an answer."

"Ah… not a happy reunion, then?"

"He's angry with me for running away before my debt was paid, for losing him the treasure, and for ending up with… Oliver."

"_Mouse_? Bleedin' hell! Come up ter my room – these two look like they need a nap, an' yer can tell me all about yer adventures."

…

'_Bloody hell_,' Jack thought to himself as he paced the sparsely furnished drawing room of his house for the umpteenth time that afternoon, his head still reeling with shock. '_She came ter you fer help an' you turned her away_…' he frowned as his conscience pricked him and shook his head, determined to stay angry with Celia. '_She didn't trust me ter tell me she was carryin' m'child… thought I'd cast her aside_…' "Well you did, eventually," he muttered out loud, sighing despondently as he thought of the small girl with dark auburn hair and deep brown eyes. "Damn, damn an' thrice damn!" Jack cursed, kicking the leg of a settee and wincing as he belatedly remembered that he had no shoes or boots on. "What am I goin' ter do?"

…

"Bleedin' hell!" Aggie stated, looking incredulously at her friend when she had finished recounting all that had happened during the past five years or so. "Yer have been busy… I'm so sorry 'bout Mouse, though. He was golden."

"He was," Celia gulped, blinking away tears. "The thing is, Aggie… I have nowhere to stay and precious little money," she fretted. "Can you suggest somewhere?"

"Eh? Yer daft mare! Yer stayin' here an' fuck Sparrow!"

"A-are you sure? It'll just be until I can get on my feet… although, doing what, I haven't a clue."

"Yer can go into service again."

"And what would I do with these two?" Celia enquired, looking at her sleeping children. "Not to mention this one," she smiled, patting her belly.

"_Another_ one?" Aggie squealed, hugging her friend. "Aw, poor Mouse…"

"He didn't know," Celia shrugged sadly. "He'd been at sea for nearly three months."

"Look, yer can stay here as long as yer need, an' don't worry about food an' stuff fer now."

"I can't accept charity off you, Aggie…"

"That's what friends are for!" the whore stated firmly in a tone that brokered no argument. "Yer did enough fer me an' Giselle when yer lived with us – it's time ter return th'favour."

"How is Giselle?"

"She's Giselle," Aggie giggled, winking at Celia who joined in the laughter. "How 'bout bar work?"

"Children," Celia sighed, her smile fading. "I could take in sewing and laundry I suppose… but then I'd need somewhere of my own in order to wash and dry."

"Get yerself settled in again, an' worry about work another time, eh?"

"All right," Celia nodded, embracing her friend once more.

…

A week later "Sorry, Jack," Connie smiled apologetically. "But Aggie said…" 

"Said what?" the pirate exploded. "That I'm banned? I don't bloody think so! I'm king of Tortuga now, an' she can't ban me!"

"Oh yes I bleedin' can, Sparrow!" Aggie yelled as she emerged from a room and crossed the hall to the front door of her brothel. "I don't pay yer no dues, so I can do what I bleedin' well like! How dare yer treat Celia like that!" she goaded, smirking because she knew the house was full of pirates and whores and all would have half an ear on the conversation. "How dare yer say that yer won't support yer own daughter! Hell, even Mouse treated her like his own an' yer not even man enough ter do th'same when she _is_ yer own!"

"I…" Jack floundered, looking at the two woman blocking the doorway before turning round and storming off back towards his house, fuming and swearing beneath his breath as he went.

"Is it true, Mama?" Milly asked, a questioning look in her eyes as they sat in their room above the hall. "Is Jack Sparrow my father?"

Celia sighed, cursing her friend and her loud voice, _and_ her daughter's sharp mind. "Yes," she confirmed. "But Oliver was your _real_ father, you understand. He was the one who loved you, fed and clothed you and taught you right from wrong."

"And _he_ didn't want to do that?" the girl queried. "He didn't want me?"

"Oh, Milly… I never gave Jack a chance. He didn't know about you, or if he did, he didn't know where I had gone and so couldn't find me."

"Is he a bad man?"

"No! No, Jack isn't a bad man by any means. He's just… he's a pirate and pirates don't get married and have children," Celia shrugged. "Now come on, back to bed."

"All right," Milly agreed sleepily. "G'night, Mama."

"Goodnight, my darling," Celia smiled, bending to kiss her daughter's forehead. "Sweet dreams." She tucked the girl in and walked quietly across the room, closing the door behind her and taking a deep breath before walking down the stairs to Aggie's office, rehearsing her argument in her head.

"Did yer hear that?" Giselle cackled as she spotted Celia. "Cor, th'bastard didn't know what hit 'im!"

"I think the whole of Tortuga heard that," Celia remarked ruefully as she knocked on the door and entered the room. "Do you have a moment?"

"'Course I do," Aggie beckoned as she poured herself a generous beakerful of rum and lounged back on the settee. "Sparrow was here…"

"I heard," Celia nodded, sitting down in the comfortable chair opposite her friend. "I-I can't find any work, as you know, so I have no other option…"

"What?" Aggie enquired, frowning and leaning forward. "Yer not leavin' again, are yer?"

"No – I can't afford to! I… I want to work for you…"

"Doin' what, exactly? I ain't got no vacancies."

"Y-you always need… _girls_…"

"_What_!" the red hed exploded. "A whore! I don't bleedin' think so, Celia Hammond!"

"Aggie, I have no other choice," Celia responded, throwing her hands up in despair. "There is no other work that I can do without having to worry about what to do with the children. At least the other girls would look after them while I'm…"

"Bleedin' hell…" Aggie swore, shaking her head but at the same time working out the sort of price that Celia could fetch. She knew many men had lusted after her when she last lived in the pirate town and guessed they might still be willing to pay well for her now, two children notwithstanding.

"So, are you willing to take me on?"

"Ya sure yer want ter do this?"

"I have to earn money to feed us all _and_ to pay _him_ back! Besides, it's not like I'm a pure virgin any more, is it?" she smiled mischievously.

"All right," Aggie finally nodded. "Yer can start tomorrow night. But, if yer change yer mind, I shan't be angry with yer, all right?"

"I shan't, but thank you," Celia replied, standing and hugging her friend.

…

"She's **_what_**!" Jack exploded violently, making Elliot Deane and Gabriel Jennings back away worriedly. "Where th'hell did yer learn that?"

"Giselle was moanin' about it," Gabriel informed his captain. "She's worried that Celia'll take some of her punters away from her…"

"If not all," Elliot put in with a grin, which was wiped quickly off his face by the look Jack gave him.

"Has she started workin'?"

"Nah, tonight – an' yer have ter book…"

"Which I sincerely hope you didn't…" Jack glowered.

"Of course not, Cap'n," Elliot lied, wondering if he could un-book without losing face, or worse, his extremely angry captain finding out.

"Right," Jack declared, grabbing his coat from the coat stand and putting it on as he hurried through the door. "We'll see about that…"

"Come on," Elliot urged his crewmate. "This should be good…"

"I'm goin' ter bleedin' kill her," Jack muttered darkly as he stormed through the streets of Tortuga, drawing curious glances and a following as people realised that something was amiss and they wanted to find out what.

"Gabriel, Deane?" Matthias Swain called, jogging along in order to catch his crewmates up at the head of the gaggle. "What's happened?"

"There's goin' ter be an explosion th'likes of which Tortuga ain't ever seen b'fore," the younger of the two laughed.

"An' who's goin' ter cop it?"

"Celia, an' possibly Aggie," Gabriel chipped in. "She's workin' as a whore from tonight an' th'cap'n ain't best pleased about it…"

"Serve him bloody right," the ship's doctor muttered, Jack's apparent refusal to help the young woman support his own daughter had rankled with quite a number of the crew.

"Y-yer can't…" a whore spluttered as Jack burst through the doors of the brothel and started searching the downstairs rooms.

"Yes I bloody well can!" Jack snarled angrily, pushing through a thong of people and finding himself in a large room filled with the other girls. "Where is she?"

"What th'hell d'yer think yer doin', Sparrow? I banned yer…"

"What am I doin'?" he exploded, whirling around and sending his beads and braids flying. "What th'fuckin' hell d'you think _you're_ doin', lettin' her work as a whore?"

"J-Jack, calm down," Aggie stammered, never having seen the genial pirate captain and now king of Tortuga, so angry in all the years she had known him.

"How dare you!"

Jack turned again, straight into a jaw breaking slap and he reeled, as much from shock as the blow. "Wha…?"

"Who the hell do you think you are, Jack Sparrow, to decide what I can and cannot do with my life? You refused to help me, refused to help your own daughter _and_ you say I still owe you money! Well how the hell else do you think I'm going to earn it, hmm?"

"This ain't th'place," he growled, stepping forward and picking the mother of his child up and slinging her over his shoulder, holding on to her legs so she could not kick him.

"Let me go!" Celia shrieked, trying to kick but pummelling his back with her fists instead. "Put me down, you bastard! You have no bloody right to do this!"

"You are _not_ workin' as a whore," he declared, pushing through the onlookers and out of the door of the brothel.

"So we'll starve, shall we?" Celia demanded, turning her body so that she was shouting down his ear. "Will you see fit to give me and my children a proper funeral – or is even that beyond the _great_ Jack Sparrow!"

"Don't be bloody stupid," Jack snapped as he strode back towards his mansion. "You can work fer me again…"

"_What_!" Celia screeched, trying hard to kick him. "There is no way I am working for you, ever again! Put. Me. Down!" Her anger gave her extra strength and Celia managed to get one leg free of Jack's embrace and she aimed hard for his groin, crying out in shock when he dropped her to the ground as he doubled up.

"No, yer don't, Missy," he gasped, shooting one hand out and grabbing her before she had chance to run, whilst the other hand clutched at his groin. "We need ter sort this out…"

"I was trying to," she hissed, trying to pull her arm away. "There is a dearth of decent jobs around here, in case you hadn't noticed!"

"So work fer me again – I won't be there fer most of th'time."

"Some pirate king you'll make then!" Celia sniped sarcastically. "There'll be someone else take your place by the time you return."

"Ain't no-one else got th'balls or th'brains ter do so," Jack boasted, trying to straighten up and keep tight hold of Celia at the same time.

"You're incredible!" she snorted, shaking her head as she stood and faced him.

"Aye, I know," he grinned, jumping back from her kick. "Now, are yer goin' ter walk properly or do I have ter carry you th'whole way?"

"Guess?" she retorted, shrieking as he scooped her up once more. "Jack, put me down! We have _nothing_ to talk about!"

"We have plenty ter talk about, startin' with that forty guineas…"

"Oh, don't worry," Celia snapped. "You'll get it back!"

"But I don't want it!" Jack protested. "I'm goin' ter waive it fer you."

"Oh no you are not! I'm not going to be beholden to you for the rest of my days, Jack Sparrow – now put me down before I turn _really_ nasty."

"Celia, stop being so bleedin' stubborn! Th'money was never an issue fer me…"

"So why the hell did you bring it up as soon as you clapped eyes on me again, hmm?"

"I never thought I'd see you again, then yer turn up out of th'blue with two bairns in tow." Jack sighed as he stopped and placed her back on the ground. He frowned, torn between wanting to tell her how much she had hurt him when she left and not wanting to admit his feelings so publicly, especially in front of the crowd that had been following them from the brothel. "You repaid yer debt when yer had my child, savvy?" he said quietly. "Look, call th'forty guineas payment in lieu of what I owed Oliver when he… _left _th'ship.

"No, Jack," Celia declared. "You're not purging your guilt by waiving my debt. I _shall_ pay you back and you have no right to decide how I earn my keep." She gathered the now dirty and torn dress up past her ankles and stormed off back in the direction of the brothel, her mind in a whirl with all that had happened.

"Bloody hell! Look at th'state of yer!" Giselle gasped as Celia entered the house of ill repute once more.

"I'm sorry, Aggie," she apologised, her hands sweeping the dress which her friend had loaned her for the night. "I'll clean and mend it for you."

"Not yer fault," the Madame shrugged. "Y'all right?"

"F-fine," Celia stammered, tears brimming her eyes. "I-I'm sorry, I can't…"

"I don't expect yer to," the red haired woman smiled kindly. "Yer go ter bed an' I'll sort out th'punters. Somehow…" she muttered once her friend was out of earshot. "Bloody hell, this is goin' ter cost me," Aggie mused ruefully, knowing the only way she would be able to pacify those who had booked Celia that night, would be to give them a free go with the other girls. "Damn yer Sparrow! Marlow never gave me this much grief…"

…


	3. Chapter 3

Disney owns him, not me :(

Thank you for the reviews, and especially thanks to Kat for proof reading. Saw the film again the other day and it's even better than the first time around – I love it!

…

**Chapter three**

"Come on, Connor, keep up," Milly scolded, dragging her small brother along the street. "We're nearly there." She was grateful for the fact that her mother was still sound asleep, but she was still worried as to why she had been crying for most of the night, with Aggie having to come and comfort her from time to time.

"But legs tired," the small boy moaned, jutting his lower lip out.

"Look!" his sister beamed. "Can you see the big ships?" she asked, pointing at the harbour, which had now come into view. "We're going to sit and look at the big ships."

"Big ships!" Connor grinned, pulling his sister along in his eagerness to get to the wharf.

"This'll do," Milly announced when they arrived, sitting on the ground and setting a bowl in front of her then picking up a handful of dirt and grubbying both hers and her brother's faces and clothes. "Please," she wailed pitifully. "Give us your spare change so we can eat!"

"Ere, ain't that Sparrer's kid?" Milly heard one of the passing men say and she smiled deviously to herself.

"Feed a starvin' Sparrow!" she called, picking the bowl up and holding it out. "Thank you, Mister," she smiled as a large pirate threw a handful of pennies into the bowl. "Feed a starvin' Sparrow!" she repeated, putting on her best doleful look as more people gathered around to gawp at the children.

Jack frowned as he made his way along the docks, from where he had been instructing his crew what to take aboard the ship in readiness for going to sea, wondering two things; why passing people were giving him dirty looks, and what the crowd up ahead were looking at.

"Please, we ain't got no food to eat," a small voice cried from within the thong and the pirate captain pushed his way through, his stomach sinking when the plaintive voice piped up again. "Feed a starvin' Sparrow!"

"You little…" he growled, bending down and scooping both children up in his arms. "I'm goin' ter do fer your mother…"

"Don't touch Mama," Milly hissed, hitting, kicking and trying to bite him as he carried them up the hill. "You're a…" the young girl paused while she tried to think of a word she had heard the whores use when referring to someone they didn't like. "You're a bitch!" she declared, feeling more pleased with herself than she would if she could have seen Jack's grin.

"An' you're a little minx," he scolded but without any malice. "Yer mother doesn't know about this?"

"No," his daughter admitted. "I heard her talking to Aggie about not having any money, so I thought I try and get us some."

'_Bloody hell_,' Jack thought, castigating himself for the umpteenth time. '_How am I goin' ter get around this without losin' face_?'

"Where are you taking us?"

"Back ter my house, Toby can cook yer up some porridge, savvy?"

"Has he got any molasses?" Milly enquired. "Papa gave us molasses once and it's yummy!"

"Aye, he's got some molasses," Jack confirmed. "So, if I put yer both down, you're not goin' ter run away?"

"No," Milly promised for both of them, knowing her brother would follow her lead in whatever she did. "Why don't you like Mama?"

"Oh, Milly…" Jack sighed as he set them down, "I do… it's just that… we had an argument before you were born an' we were both very upset by it."

"Are you my _real_ father?"

Jack stopped and looked at the small girl, shaking his head at her shrewdness for such a young child and idly wondered if he had been the same at her age. "Aye," he confirmed, squatting down to her level and looking into her big brown eyes. "I'm your _real_ father, but then so was Oliver, savvy?"

"That's what Mama said."

"Your Mama is a very wise woman…" '_If a little stupid at times_,' he mused to himself. "I think it might be best if yer don't tell her what you got upto, _or_ comin' back with me, eh?"

"No," the girl agreed, "she'd be cross."

'_Aye,_' Jack thought ruefully, still able to feel where Celia had kicked him in the groin the previous night. '_Very cross_…' "Pellew!" he called as he pushed open the front door of his house. "We have guests that would like a bowl of porridge with molasses, savvy?"

"Eh?" came the burly cook's voice from within the bowels of the house. "Who might that be then?"

"Celia's two nippers," his captain informed him as he lead the youngsters down the stairs that led to the kitchen.

"Pigs!" Connor squealed delightedly when he saw the cook. "Feed pigs!"

"Aye, lad," Toby grinned. "We'll go an' feed th'pigs just now. But first, let's feed you two, eh?"

"Thank you, Mister Toby," Milly smiled, hoisting herself up on a chair at the table and leaving her brother to be picked up by Jack and sat down next to her.

"Got yer mother's manners, I see," Jack remarked with a grin. "What have you told her about yer whereabouts?"

"Nothing – she was asleep when we left," the girl shrugged, more concerned with the steaming bowl of porridge that had been placed before her.

"Bloody hell!" Jack muttered, his eyes widening in horror. "She'll be wonderin' where y'are!"

"No she won't," Milly replied. "Besides, we're safe, aren't we?"

"You all right with these two a while?" he enquired of his cook. "I'd better go an' let Celia know about these miscreants."

"Aye, they're no trouble, Cap'n," Toby assured him. "Go on before she panics."

'_Dunno about her panicking_,' Jack thought as he hurried back out of the house. '_I've got ter go back in there an' face her_…'

…

"Oh dear Lord, where are they?" Celia worried aloud as she continued to search the streets and alleys around the brothel. "Milly! Connor!" she called, hearing the faint voice of Giselle doing the same. '_Please let them be safe_…' "Milly! Where are you?" She reached the end of an alley and stood, looking both ways, biting her lip with worry. '_Perhaps… no… Jack wouldn't help search for them… would he_?' Celia turned left, the direction of his mansion, telling herself that she was not going to go and ask for his help, it was merely that she had not searched in that direction yet.

'_I hope she doesn't think I abducted them_,' Jack pondered as he neared the brothel. '_Nah… she knows me better than that… doesn't she_?' "Celia, luv!" he called automatically as he spotted her walking quickly down the street. '_Here goes nothin_'…'

"J-Jack… I've lost…"

"I've got them," he butted in. "Caught them _beggin_' down th'docks an' took them back ter my place where Toby is feedin' them porridge as we speak."

"Oh!" she gasped, feeling her legs buckle as relief flooded her veins.

"Steady as she goes!" Jack chuckled, catching her in his arms. "It's all right, luv – they're perfectly safe, savvy?"

"Begging? Are you sure?"

"Oh, quite sure," he replied in a caustic tone. "Got a good line in pathetic pleadin' has young Milly…"

"Well, I'll come and fetch them – I don't want to put you to any trouble," Celia sniped once she had regained her composure.

"It's no…" Jack began, sighing and throwing his arms up as she pulled away from him and started back along the street towards his mansion. "What do I have ter do, eh?"

"Nothing, Jack – precisely nothing. Just leave me alone to live my life."

"An' what about Milly? Maybe I want ter get ter know her, eh?"

"Why should Milly have a father and not Connor?" Celia snapped, rounding on him.

"Why should she be denied a father?" came his riposte.

"Don't try and tell me you're interest in Milly is purely paternal."

"What else would it be? You think I'm pathetic enough ter use a child ter get back at you? Shows how little you know me, Celia – or have ever known me."

Celia glowered at him but said nothing as she walked through the gates of the mansion and along the path that led to the back of the house, smiling as she saw her two children laughing as they threw scraps into the pig pen.

"Mama!" Milly called, jumping down from the paling and running over. "Mister Toby makes the best porridge in the world!" she declared.

"Well make the most of it!" Celia replied crossly, her smile having gone. "Because if you do _anything_ like that again, young lady, you'll be on bread and water for a month, understand?"

"Yes, Mama," the child acknowledged meekly, hanging her head. "Sorry, Mama… but I have nine pennies an' one man even gave me a _guinea_!"

"_Begging_? Dear, Lord, child! We're not _that_ destitute!" '_Yet_…' she thought darkly to herself. "Connor, it's time to go," Celia called to her son who reluctantly jumped down and toddled across the lawn to her. "Thank you for taking care of them," she said to Jack as she led her children back along the path. "I'm most grateful."

"They're more than welcome ter visit whenever they like," Jack assured her, a sad smile on his face as he watched them go. "Any time…" he muttered.

…

"Th'_Pearl's_ back!" Scarlett announced as she flopped down on a chair in the large lounge of the brothel.

"Blimey – I was beginnin' ter think they'd run out on us!" Daisy giggled. "Can't wait ter see Gabriel again – it's been nearly a month!"

"Don't yer be getting' too fond of 'im," Aggie warned. "Yer know what th'_Pearl_ crew's like – especially their bleedin' captain!"

Celia winced but managed a small smile as she carried the pile of freshly laundered clothes into the room ready for the girls to sort out which was theirs. She had managed to get a laundry and repair business going, working from the brothel but she hoped to move out to a small house down by the docks. It would all depend on Jack's say so, as the house belonged to no-one and she would have to get his approval. "All yours, girls," she called breezily, placing the garments onto a table. "And no trying to steal others clothes…"

"As if…" Giselle cackled, snatching her corset and petticoats up and heading for her room to change.

"An' don't ferget ter pay Celia," Aggie warned her charges, her hands on her hips. "She ain't doin' this fer charity." She turned to her friend and smiled. "Yer want me ter come with yer?"

"No, I'd rather face Jack on my own," Celia replied. "I'll go this evening – give him chance to settle back in."

"He might be drunk this evenin'," Aggie mused. "Might be best ter go now."

"The house will still be there tomorrow – I'll see him then."

"All right," the red haired Madame shrugged.

"Would you mind keeping an eye on the children for a while, I feel like taking some air."

"Yer don't have ter ask," Aggie chided gently. "Take as long as yer like."

"Thanks, Aggie," Celia smiled, reaching to peck her friend on the cheek. "See you later."

Celia walked down the street once she had left the house of ill repute and found herself at the stream which meandered through the middle of the town and she strolled alongside it where she could, heading back to the streets and alleys when it became impassable and then back to the water when the path alongside it started up again. She smiled to herself when she found that she had arrived at the house, which she hoped to take possession of, and idly wondered if her subconscious mind had led her there.

"Bit of a dump!"

Celia jumped and whirled around, gulping as she came face to face with Jack, watching her with his head cocked slightly to one side. "Y-you scared me! W-what are you doing in the back streets?"

"I could ask you th'same thing… I was headed up to th'house when I caught a glimpse of yer by the stream – I wondered where you were goin'."

"I was just taking a walk," she informed him, wishing he wouldn't stare at her quite as intently as he was.

"A walk that seemed ter lead straight here…"

"Yes," she conceded. "I was going to come and see you… I-I want to take over this house."

"Ah… I'm sure you could find somethin' a little more salubrious."

"It suits my needs," she shrugged. "Do I have your _approval_ or not?"

Jack frowned; he would have preferred her to stay at the brothel than in a run down house around the dock area of the town, but he knew that after the last time they had seen each other, he would have to tread very carefully if he wanted to start re-building bridges. "Aye," he confirmed eventually. "But with certain conditions…"

"Which are?" Celia sighed.

"Firstly, my men will do it up fer you – make it a little more liveable, savvy?"

"There's no…"

"It's non negotiable," Jack interrupted. "Secondly, I have a hold full of furniture an' th'like, which I've been hoardin' fer years. Most will go ter my place but th'smaller pieces I'll send ter you."

"Yes, Jack," she agreed resignedly.

"Thirdly, I'd like ter get ter know Milly… an' Connor."

"Why?"

"_Why_? She's m'daughter, Celia! My flesh an' blood, an' I realise that they both come as a package - I can't have one without th'other."

"I… I don't know…"

"You can't deny me my own child, Celia," he warned. "Please don't…"

It was Celia's turn to frown as she remembered her daughter going on and on about the pirate captain and how she seemed to spend a lot of time at the house whilst he was away, feeding the pigs which were being looked after by a couple of retired crewmembers. "All right," she nodded eventually.

"Thank you," he smiled, his face softening. "How are you?"

"I'm fine… doing laundry and mending."

"Not… whorin'?"

"No," she smiled ruefully. "I couldn't…"

"Thank gawd fer that!" Jack declared. "Can I walk yer home?"

"If you like," Celia agreed, slipping her arm through the crook of his and taking another look at what was now her house before going on her way with him. "Just how _did_ you become king of Tortuga? Surely you didn't go against Penhallick?"

"No," Jack replied shaking his head and smiling to himself. "Simon Marlow did, aided an' abetted by Syndony Chester. I knew he would win, as well. Ethan had grown too used ter th'easy life an' was no match fer a hellbent Marlow."

"And…?"

"And, my dear Celia, I knew Marlow would then celebrate his victory – an' celebrate he did. What he didn't know that there was a coup de tait going on right beneath his booze pickled nose. This was th'easiest steal I ever made!" he chuckled wryly. "I let Ezra Barrentine deal with him," he added grimly, knowing the pirate hated Marlow enough to kill him.

"Only you," she mused, shaking her head incredulously.

"Aye, luv, only me… can I ask you somethin'?"

"What?"

"Did Oliver love Milly?"

"Yes," Celia confirmed sadly. "He never showed favour between her or Connor."

"Did you love him?"

"What sort of question is that!" she demanded angrily, snatching her hand away. "I was with him for five bloody years!"

"Sorry, luv," Jack soothed, holding his hands up placatingly. "I shouldn't have asked…"

"No, you bloody well shouldn't! I can find my own way home, thank you!"

Jack sighed as he watched her storm off, shaking his head sadly. "You fool, Sparrow!" he cursed himself. "You an' your big bloody mouth!"

'_I don't know why you were shouting at him_,' Celia scolded as she hurried back up towards the brothel. '_You know you didn't love Oliver as you love… loved, Jack_.'

"Celia! Wait fer me!"

She sighed but stopped, waiting until Jack had caught up with her. "What?" she snapped, not looking at him.

"I'm sorry, of course yer loved Mouse… it was a stupid question."

"Yes – it was!"

"So, got many customers?" Jack enquired; thinking a change of subject was more than needed.

"A few," Celia conceded grudgingly. "Mostly the girls, but I'm hoping that if, _when_ I move out of Aggie's, I'll get more people coming to me."

"I'll get th'men started as soon as they're sober, savvy?"

"There's no need, Jack. I'd… rather you didn't."

"I'm not havin' my daughter livin' in some hovel!" he retorted. "It actually has nothin' ter do with you an' everythin' ter do with her, an' being as you're too stubborn ter let me help you, this is th'next best thing, savvy?"

Celia stood and watched opened mouth as Jack stormed off, cursing inwardly for always thinking the worst of him, and with a deep sigh, she turned and headed back up the hill, her shoulders sagging with dejection.

…

Jack opened a bleary eye and wondered what the noise was that was coming from his garden. He half stumbled, half fell out of bed and padded, naked, across to the window, wishing he had not had quite as much to drink as he had the previous night. '_Curse you, Celia. You're th'one person who can make me want ter get blind drunk_…' he thought as he pulled open the heavy curtains and blinked rapidly in the strong sunlight. "Bugger!" Jack exploded, shielding his sore eyes and focusing on a figure on the grass and smiling when he realised it was Milly, playing with the kittens of his cook's cat. He padded back to his bed and picked his breeches off the floor where he had evidently dropped them the night before, and pulled them on, doing the same with his shirt as he headed out of the room and down the stairs, all thoughts of his hangover gone.

"Mornin' luv," he grinned as he stepped out of the kitchen, chuckling as the girl squealed when a pure black kitten pounced on her as she lay on the grass.

"Good morning… Captain Jack," Milly replied hesitantly. "Mister Toby said I could come and play with them," she said, indicating the four tiny creatures.

"Of course yer can," her father nodded, sitting down beside her. "Your mother knows you're here, eh?"

"Yes," the child nodded eagerly. "I have to let her or Aggie know where I'm going from now on," she sighed, rolling her dark brown eyes. "I never had to at home…"

"Aye, well – Tortuga is a bit different ter Cockburn Town, luv. Full of pirates an' ingrates."

"What's an ingrate?"

"Heh! It's a selfish, stupid person who cares nothin' fer others." Jack picked up a small ginger cat and stroked its chin, laughing as its tiny claws hooked into his finger and it started to bite him.

"Mama says that you are going to give us a nice house. Why?"

"Because…" he shrugged. "I want you all ter live in a nice house. Although I'd rather yer lived in a nicer house…"

"So why don't you give us a nicer house?" Milly pondered, sitting up and staring intently at her father. "Why do you make Mama cry all the time?"

'_Bloody hell_!' Jack thought, frowning. '_I make her cry? Maybe that means she still has feelings…_?' "I want ter give you a nicer house," he sighed, "but your Mama wants ter look after you all, herself." He put the tiny cat back down, watching as it bounded over to its mother, followed by the black one which had been clambering over Milly, and they began suckling, nestled between another black kitten and a tortoiseshell coloured one.

"Did you know Papa?" Milly asked, resting her chin on her knees. "Was he a pirate too?"

"Aye, he was a member of my crew… that's how he met yer mother," Jack confirmed with a sad smile. "Best damned helmsman I've ever known as well."

"I miss him," the child confessed, biting her lip which reminded Jack so much of Celia.

"I know yer do, luv," he replied, putting a consoling arm around her shoulders and hugging her closer to him. "But at least you had a father who loved you, not many children have that."

"Do _you_ love me?"

Jack opened and closed his mouth several times as a range of emotions coursed through him before he managed to nod, planting a kiss on her head as he did. "Of course I love you, you're my daughter."

"Good," Milly smiled, snuggling up to him. "I think I'm going to love you as well."

Celia caught her breath as she watched the scene, torn between wanting to call her daughter away and not wanting to interrupt them. '_Damn you, Jack Sparrow_,' she thought. '_How can you still have a hold on me after all these years_?' "Ahem," she coughed eventually, coming out from the shadows at the side of the house. "I'm sorry if she's being a nuisance…"

"She isn't," Jack assured her with a smile. "We were just playin' with th'kittens, weren't we?"

"They're beautiful, Mama… can I have one?"

"I-I…"

"They're too young at th'moment," Jack interrupted. "Maybe when your house is all finished an' th'kittens are older, yer mother might let you have a couple. After all," he said, looking at Celia, "you're goin' ter need some mousers livin' by th'docks."

"I suppose we are," Celia agreed with a hesitant smile. "T-thank you."

"Sit yourself down – I was just goin' ter fetch young Milly here somethin' ter eat."

"No, really…"

"I need somethin' myself…"

"Yes, so I can see," Celia remarked, arching an eyebrow at his bloodshot eyes and wan complexion. "But I'm sure you have better things to do than entertain a child."

"_My_ child," he rebuked gently. "An' I'll entertain her as much as she wants. Now, food?"

"No, thank you. I'll have some water though, if I may?"

"That's m'girl – polite as ever!" he teased as he padded back to the house, starting in surprise as Toby handed him a tray filled with hunks of bread, cold meat, a pitcher of water and three beakers. "Thank you, Mister Pellew," he remarked wryly, taking the tray from the grinning cook and going back outside.

"I see you've got Toby as well trained as ever!" Celia chuckled as Jack placed the tray on the ground and sat between her and Milly.

"More like I got 'im trained!" came Toby's voice from the kitchen.

"Get stuck in, young lady," Jack smiled, pouring a beaker of water and handing it to his daughter and then doing the same for her mother. "Celia…"

"Yes, Jack?" she replied, sipping the cold drink and knowing what was coming.

"I wish yer'd let me help you out more… I wish you'd forget th'damned forty guineas."

"I cost you a lot more than that," Celia stated with a shrug. "I… shouldn't have spread word about the treasure – I'm sorry."

"Aye, that rankled fer a long time," Jack confessed. "But…"

"What treasure?" Milly piped up, her eyes wide with excitement. "Real pirate treasure?"

"Aye, real pirate treasure," Jack smiled. "Maybe someday I'll show you some treasure, eh?"

"Would you? Thank you, Captain Jack!" she breathed, jigging up and down on the grass.

"Celia…" he began, pulling a face as she made to get up. "Please, wait a while."

"No, I'm busy," Celia gabbled, grabbing Milly's hand and pulling her up. "Thank you for playing with her. Say thank you, Milly."

"Thank you, Captain Jack," the child pouted, looking at him sorrowfully. "Can I come again?"

"Whenever yer like, luv," Jack assured her, disappointment written on his face as he watched them walk across the lawn. "Yer can't run away from me forever, Celia," he called, noting wryly as she checked her stride. "We still have things ter sort out!"

'_Oh, Lord_,' Celia thought as she hurried along the street, dragging her objecting daughter behind her. '_I should never have come back…_'

"Mama! Slow down!" Milly protested, trying to tug her hand out of her mother's grasp. "Why don't you like Jack? He likes you…"

"It's _Captain_ Jack and none of your business, young lady!" her mother exploded, immediately chastising herself for taking her anger out on the child. "I'm sorry, my darling," she apologised. "It's things you wouldn't understand."

"Is it about the treasure?"

"Partly," Celia sighed, finally acknowledging the guilt she had felt about betraying Jack as she had. "But it's other things as well."

"Like the argument you had before I was born?" Milly asked, recalling what Jack had said to her.

"_What_? How do you know…? Jack," she sighed, nodding her head. "Yes, like the argument. Now that's enough questions from you, or I won't let you go around there again."

"All right, Mama," Milly sulked, ceasing trying to pull her hand away and following quietly behind as Celia walked back towards the brothel.

'_Should I have run away_? _Maybe I did misjudge him… maybe I've always misjudged him…_ _Oh, damn it_,' Celia cursed, shaking her head to try and rid herself of the thoughts racing around inside and wondering once again how he managed to still have a hold on her.

…

"So…" Jack drawled from the doorway as he watched Celia's reaction. "You like?"

"Jack!" she gasped, looking at him wide eyed. "Are you sure just the men did this up? It's so…" She looked around the house again, scarcely believing that it was the same run down hovel she had set her eyes on. The back wall had been knocked down and the room extended out, making it far more spacious than it had been before.

"Th'men can re-build a ship if they have to," he boasted, leaning against the frame with his arms folded.

"This is stone and mortar," Celia reminded him with a suspicious glance. "Did you…?"

"Here's some of th'crew," Jack interrupted, moving aside so his men could enter the house. "You can thank them yourself…"

"Thank you," she smiled, embracing some of them. "It's wonderful!"

"We've brought yer some things as well," John Orchard announced, indicating for Elliot, who came in carrying a large tub, followed by Noah who had a wringer in his arms. "Just ter get yer goin', like."

"Wha…? I… I can't possibly…"

"What they're _really_ after is fer you to wash their clothes fer free," Jack winked, doffing his hat at Gabriel Jennings pulling a mocking face at him.

"Well, I shall anyway," she declared. "For the first month, at any rate…"

"Th'first _month_?" Elliot bemoaned jokingly. "Gawd, yer'll only just get rid of th'smell after th'first month!"

"Don't I know it!" Celia teased, her eyes shining with excitement and amusement. "Thank you all so much."

"It's a pleasure, Miss Celia, an' it's good ter see you getting' back on yer feet."

She watched as the men filed back out again, leaving just her and Jack alone once more and she shuffled nervously on her feet. She had managed to avoid seeing him for much of the two weeks her house had been under repair, but now she knew she wouldn't be able evade him, not after he had been so generous. "Thank you, Jack," Celia said quietly. "I don't deserve this."

"You won't let me help you any other way an' yer need t'be able ter feed and clothe two… _three_ children," he shrugged, seemingly nonchalant, but deep down he was content to have her beholden to him again, at least in some small way. "So this was th'least I could do…"

"But to provide me with furniture an suchlike…"

"I told you – I've been hoardin' it fer years," Jack chuckled, genuinely pleased that he had some pieces of furniture small enough to fit inside the small cottage.

"You like to hoard things, don't you?" Celia smiled ruefully as she made a start on lighting the fire in the grate.

"Show me a pirate that doesn't! It's just that I like other things as well as treasure. Shall I go an' fetch th'children?"

"Oh! Erm… if you like," she agreed, biting her lip with worry as both of her children were getting increasingly fond of the pirate captain and seemed to spend as much time with him as they did with her.

"Shan't be long," Jack grinned, turning on his heel and leaving Celia to her task and her thoughts.

…

"This is our home?" Milly enquired with wide eyes. "It's… small…"

"After Aggie's, anywhere is small," her mother chuckled, although she had to admit that now the children were there, the house did seem a little cramped.

"Ah, but yer have a garden ter play out in," Jack reminded the girl. "An' fer your mother ter dry her washin'."

"Can we have some pigs?" Milly asked excitedly.

"I don't think so!" Celia snorted, shaking her head firmly. "I might get a few chickens, though."

"Chickens aren't so much fun as pigs," Milly pouted, folding her arms crossly.

"An' pigs aren't so much fun as kittens," Jack put in with a wink to Celia.

"_Kittens_? We can have some kittens?"

"Yes," Celia agreed wearily. "They should be old enough in a couple of weeks – but you have to look after them yourself," she warned the jigging child.

"I will, I will," she promised, grabbing her brother's arms and jumping up and down with him. "Kittens!"

"Kitt'ns," Connor chimed, giggling and laughing. "Kitt'ns…"

"Now see what you've done," Celia scolded Jack, but without malice. "I'll never get any peace now."

"Are you sure you're goin' ter be all right? I can stay th'night, if yer like?" he asked hopefully, but he knew she would be safe, any way – he had paid enough men to keep watch on her house at all times and knew that anyone with business other than official would be dealt with swiftly and firmly.

"No! No, we'll be fine, honestly," she assured him, trying to ignore the skip of her heart. "Say goodnight to Captain Jack," she instructed the children.

"Goodnight, Captain Jack," they chorused, squealing with delight as he scooped both of them up and planted a kiss on their cheeks.

"Do I get ter give their Mama one as well?" he enquired cheekily, leaning forward and brushing his lips against Celia's cheek before she had chance to object. "Night, luv," he whispered in her ear. "Sweet dreams…"

"G-goodnight," she gulped, placing a hand on her pounding heart as he put the children down and walked out of the door, shutting it firmly behind him. '_Oh, my goodness_,' she thought as old yet familiar feelings coursed through her body. '_Oh, Jack…_'

If you liked Milly's little line in begging "Feed a starvin' Sparrow" - you can thank Hils for it!


	4. Chapter 4

I own no-one from the films, alas.

Thanks for the reviews and comments. At this point in the story, Celia is 7 months pregnant.

…

**Chapter Four**

**2 months later **

"Captain Jack!" Milly cried with delight as the pirate poked his head around the door of their house.

"Again?" Celia muttered to herself as she scrubbed some clothes in a tub in the back yard. "The neighbour's will be gossiping if he visits any more," she mused, suppressing a smile.

"Hello, luv. Nice ter see you're still busy."

"Yes, I am. Haven't you got a town to run?"

"Ah," Jack chuckled. "I have enough men in my pocket ter leave Tortuga to its devices once in a while." Whilst said in jest, it was in fact the truth as Jack had made sure he kept as many of the other pirates on his side as he could, using a fair bit of his wealth to keep them sweet and more importantly, loyal to him.

"I'm sure you have," she remarked, arching an eyebrow at him. "To what do I owe the pleasure _this_ time?"

"I was just passin' an' I thought I'd come an' say hello," he shrugged, trying to look innocent.

"I'm sure…"

"Can I come up to your house?" Milly asked hopefully. Now that they lived down near the docks, her mother did not allow her to walk to Jack's house on her own, and Celia was always too busy to take her herself, so she never went to her father's as much as she had.

"I'm sailin' in th'mornin' an' have a lot ter do," Jack replied, pulling a rueful face at his daughter's downcast look. "I promise when I return, you can come round as often as yer like, savvy?"

"And Connor?"

"Of course, an' Connor – talkin' of which, where is he?"

"Sleeping," Milly sighed. "He's such a baby."

"So were you, once," Jack admonished teasingly. "An' talkin' of babies, how you feelin'?" he asked Celia. "No problems?"

"No," Celia replied, biting back her surprise and, if she were honest with herself, pleasure, at him caring enough to ask. "But then I had no problems with the other two. Where are you heading?"

"Isla de Muerta, then wherever th'ships are," he shrugged. "Probably be gone a month or so. Gibbs'll look after you…"

"As will everyone else you've got to keep an eye on us," she observed, holding his gaze for a moment before looking back down to her laundry.

"You can always stay at my house if yer want…"

"_Jack_!" Celia sighed. "We've been here for two months now without any problems – stop worrying."

"But I've been around for that time," he argued. "I just want you all ter be safe – is there anything wrong with that?"

"No," she sighed again. "But we'll be fine."

"Th'offer's open," Jack shrugged, scooping Milly up in his arms. "You be a good girl fer your Mama, savvy?"

"Savvy," the child giggled, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him. "Love you, Captain Jack."

Jack glanced at Celia, gulping hard as he struggled to recover his equilibrium, before he returned the hug, burying his face in her hair. "Love you too, Milly," he choked, savouring the feeling and wishing the moment would never end. '_What would it have been like if she hadn't run away_?' he mourned. '_How many children would we have had by now_?'

Celia closed her eyes as conflicting feelings raged through her body and she was shocked to realise that anger was one of them. Anger that Jack had replaced Oliver so effortlessly in her daughter's affections. '_Don't be silly,_' she scolded herself. '_You know what children are like, they love anyone and everyone…_ _but Oliver loved her as his own_, _it's not fair on him… and when were you ever fair to Oliver_?'

"Celia?"

"What? Oh, I'm sorry, Jack - I was miles away."

"As usual," he teased, his poise regained once more. "Look after yourselves an' _anything_ yer need, Gibbs is up at th'house, savvy?"

"Thank you," she smiled. "You look after _yourself_. It's far more dangerous out there than it is here."

"Dunno about that!" Jack grinned, putting Milly back down and ruffling her hair. "_Please_ be careful, eh?"

"I will," Celia promised. "God speed."

"See yer, luv," he smiled, looking from her to his daughter before turning on his heel and walking back through the house to the street.

…

Jack's eyes shot open and he reached for his dagger beneath the pillow as he glanced around the bedroom, wondering what on earth had woken him so suddenly. He heard booted feet running up the stairs and he jumped out of bed, grabbing his pistol from the bedside table and aiming it at the door, cocking it just as Gabriel Jennings burst through.

"Cap'n! Don't shoot!"

"What th'fuck are you doin', Jennings?" Jack bellowed, aiming the weapon at the floor and feeling like firing it anyway, such was his panic and anger.

"There's a fire, Cap'n! A fire in th'town!"

"Bloody hell!" Jack cursed, un-cocking the pistol and throwing it and the dagger onto the bed as he grabbed his clothes, dressing hurriedly. "How did it start?" He picked his weapons back up and put them in their places in his belt.

"No idea. Elliot's just come harin' all th'way from Aggie's ter tell us. But it seems it's by th'market place."

"Go an' start organisin' men an' buckets," Jack ordered. "I'll send Gibbs down ter get th'_Pearl_ ready, just in case."

"Aye, Cap'n," the helmsman agreed, already running out of the door and down the stairs as he replied, followed very closely by his captain who was praying it was not an attack.

"I'm goin' ter Celia's," Jack informed Joshamee Gibbs as the former quartermaster came into view in the hallway. "Get th'ship ready ter make sail."

"Aye, Cap'n," the portly man agreed. "Do you want anything saving from here?"

"Hopefully it won't reach this far," Jack replied, praying it would be so. "But no, I'd rather th'men concentrated on getting' th'_Pearl_ ready, just in case, savvy?"

"Very well," Gibbs nodded, hurrying out of the door. "I just hope the crew head straight for the docks…"

"Me too," Jack breathed to himself as he dashed to his study, intent on saving a couple of things that were most precious to him.

"I've set th'pigs an' th'animals loose," Tobias Pellew informed him as Jack left his study and almost collided with his captain. "Lady an' th'kittens I've got in a sack an' I'll take 'em to th'ship. Anythin' yer want me ter take, Cap'n?"

Jack hesitated and looked around his house, taking in pieces of furniture and paintings which he had collected for many years and hoarded in case he ever got to live in a fine house, and he slowly shook his head. "Nah," he sighed heavily, knowing that it would be pointless saving just one or two items when he wanted all of them saved. "It's not worth it."

"See yer on board then," Toby said, and with a wave of the hand, ran from the house.

…

'_Bloody hell_,' Jack thought as he pushed open the door to Celia's house and finding it empty. '_Please, God, she's gone ter th'docks_…' He spun around and ran down the street, glancing up at the hill, shocked to see many buildings already alight. '_I wonder if it's reached my house yet_?' he mused, pushing through the already crowded docks. '_Nothin' I can do about it…_ _just find Celia, fer gawd's sake_.'

"Come on, Milly!" Celia urged, glancing over her shoulder at the flames that had by now engulfed most of the buildings on the hill that led into the town. '_Lord, let Jack be safe_,' she prayed, all thought of denying she cared for him, forgotten. She clutched Connor tighter to her and prayed that they would find a boat to any one of the ships in the harbour – not caring whose it was – just as long as it was leaving. Celia gasped as she reached the wharf, crying out in despair as she saw only two ships in the harbour – the others already having left or being in the process of doing so.

"Celia!" '_Thank you_,' Jack prayed, relief at seeing her safe and sound, flooding through him.

She whirled around, her knees almost giving way with relief as Jack ran towards them.

"There's a boat on its way over," he told her. "I just hope ter God all th'men have made it safely on board. Are you all right?"

"Y-yes," she stammered, wanting nothing more than to join in with Connor's wails. "Or at least I shall be when we're away from here. What started it?"

"I don't know," he sighed, running his hand across his head. "I just hope it wasn't deliberate. Deane – take them over," he yelled as the crewman neared the wharf. "I'll see you later," he nodded at Celia, turning to head back along the quayside to try and organise the safe removal of those remaining.

"Aye, Cap'n. Give me Connor an' then Milly," Elliot instructed Celia who caught the mooring line he threw up and fastened it to a bollard.

"Here," she panted, handing her terrified son down before turning to get Milly.

"Kitty!" the child cried as one of the black cats escaped from the sack she had been carrying them in and ran away from her. "Come back , Kitty!" Milly called, running after her wayward kitten.

"_Milly_!" Celia screamed, chasing after her daughter but being slowed by the thong of people milling about the docks, hoping to escape.

"Bugger!" Jack exploded, having seen his daughter run from her mother. "Deane, take th'lad, I'll find them!"

"Milly!" Celia called, catching a glimpse of the child as she ran between legs and in and out of the crowds. "Stop!"

"Kitty!" the girl's plaintive cry called out. "Kitty!"

…

"Mister Gibbs! We can't stay much longer!" Myles Burford worried, looking up at the flying tinders, which were getting ever closer to the ship.

"Just five minutes…" the quartermaster frowned, scanning the shore in the hope of catching sight of his captain.

"Five minutes an' we'll all be burned ter a cinder – ship an' all!"

"Elliot?" Joshamee gasped as the crewman appeared over the rail with Connor in his arms, followed by various townspeople whom he had also rowed over. "What on earth…?"

"Milly's done a runner, Celia an' th'cap'n have gone after her."

"_Mister_ Gibbs!" Myles implored. "We have ter go – _now_!"

"Make sail," Gibbs sighed heavily, praying he had made the right decision.

…

"Gotcha!" Jack growled, catching his daughter around the middle and scooping her up. "Celia!" he called over the crowd. "I have her!"

"But Kitty," Milly wailed, struggling against Jack's grip. "Kitty will die!"

"Better Kitty than you, me an' yer mother!"

"Milly!" Celia sobbed as she reached them. "Oh, thank the Lord. Come on, we must hurry…"

"It's too late," Jack reasoned, hoping that his quartermaster would have had the sense to order the ship away. "Come on, I know where we can go." He kept hold of Milly and grabbed Celia's hand, leading them through the smoke filled backstreets until they found themselves at the edge of some woodland which fringed that part of the town. "We must hurry before th'flames reach here," he ordered, ruing the long dry summer that they had had.

"Where does this lead?" Celia panted as she struggled to keep pace with him, her bulk making fast movement hard for her.

"Eventually, to a rocky outcrop… ah, you might have trouble climbin' it," Jack winced, looking at her sizeable belly.

"I'll climb it!" Celia assured him. "Will we be safe?"

"Aye, it's too rocky fer trees to grow," he confirmed, noting, somewhat ruefully, that others were heading the same way. "Might be a little crowded though…"

"Let's just get there and worry about that after, eh?"

"Good idea, luv," he agreed, and they both fell silent as they hurried through the woods, the sounds of the blazing town growing fainter the further they went.

Celia looked up when they reached their destination, gulping with fear as she saw how high and perilous the climb was. "J-Jack…"

"I know," he sighed, pulling a face as he pondered what to do. "I'll take Milly up first an' come back fer you…"

"No!" Celia exploded. "You can't leave her alone – who knows who is up there."

"Mama…" Milly pouted, rubbing her eyes. "Mama, I'm scared…"

"It's all right," Celia assured her daughter, taking her from Jack and hugging her. "We'll work something out."

"Aye, that we will," Jack mused, looking up the hill and frowning before untying his sword belt and handing it to Celia then undoing his sash. "Put Milly on my back an' tie her on," he instructed Celia, taking his belt off her and fastening it back around his waist.

Celia placed her daughter on to Jack's back and wound the long material around them both a couple of times before ripping the end of the sash and tying it across Jack's chest. "Does that feel secure?"

"Pull her an' see," he suggested, nodding as she pulled Milly and the child stayed securely fastened to him. "Right, up we go…"

…

"Jack…" Celia panted, resting her head against the rock face. "I can't… I need to rest."

"We're nearly there, luv," Jack urged, wishing that Milly hadn't suddenly gone very heavy. "Just a bit more."

"A _bit_ more?" Celia cried, chancing a look up and groaning as she saw they were about three quarters of the way up. "It's a bit more too much…" Closing her eyes, she reached out for another handhold and heaved herself up, gasping as a jagged piece of rock dug into her belly.

"I know, luv," Jack panted from below. "But we've made it this far…"

"So has everyone else by the look of things," she observed, glancing across at the hoards of people also climbing the precarious cliff.

"Stop bloody talkin' an' climb!" Jack snapped crossly, immediately regretting his tone. "Sorry, luv."

"It's all right," Celia replied, wincing as she scraped her knee. "I should save my energy…"

"Aye," he agreed ruefully, dodging his head to one side as some shale rolled down from where Celia's feet scrabbled to get a hold. "You all right, Milly?"

"Yes, Papa," the child replied quietly, her eyes shut tight as they had been for most of the way up. "Are we nearly there yet?"

"No long now, darlin'," Jack assured her. "We're nearly at th'top, savvy?"

"Good," Milly responded, biting her lip. "I don't like this."

"I know yer don't but it'll soon be over, I promise."

"Oh! Oh, thank you," Celia breathed as a hand appeared over the top of the ridge and helped her up the last couple of feet. She stood unsteadily, her eyes widening at the sheer amount of people crammed on top of the outcrop and she turned as Jack appeared in view. "Jack…"

"Aye," he nodded, his eyes scanning the crowds to see just who was up there and hoping to find some of his crewmen but there did not appear to be any. "Get Milly down an' we'll find somewhere ter sit, eh?"

Celia untied her daughter and hugged her close, her heart pounding now that she had reached safety. "Jack, I don't think I can get back down that way…"

"There's an easier way down," the pirate captain assured her. "But it's wooded fer most of th'way up an' I didn't want ter risk it. Come on – this way." He took Celia's hand and led them to the far end of the outcrop where the trees lined the way and they stood and looked in shock at the blazing town.

"My house," Celia lamented, biting her lip to try and prevent tears from spilling. "My possessions… oh, Jack!" she gasped. "Your beautiful things that you have collected!"

"Aye," he sighed ruefully. "I know… but at least I have th'means ter survive – some of these folk will have lost everythin' they own."

"Terrible thing, eh, Cap'n Sparrow?"

Jack looked at the speaker, a large, ugly man with broken teeth, and he nodded. "Aye, terrible," he echoed. "Any idea what caused it, Ben?"

"A careless spark in th'bakery from what I've heard," Ben Matthews, a stevedore at the docks, shrugged. "Yer ain't seen me Missus have yer?"

"No, Ben," Jack frowned. "Sorry but I haven't. I'll keep an eye out fer her, savvy?"

"Ta, Cap'n," he acknowledged, touching his forehead in salute before moving off.

"Here, sit down…" Jack took off his coat and placed it on the ground, taking Milly off Celia and helping his former lover to sit before sitting beside her and placing their daughter between them. "Nothin' we can do except wait."

"Yes," Celia nodded, her apparent calmness belied by a frown and a worried look in her eyes. "We will be safe, won't we?" she mouthed to Jack, not wanting her already scared daughter to hear her fears.

"Aye," Jack nodded, although in truth, he was not so sure. There were far more people at the top of the cliff than he had expected. He quietly took out his pistol, and turning away from Milly's sight, primed and cocked it, shoving it just beneath his legs while Celia rummaged in the knapsack she had been carrying and pulled out a small knife and doing the same as Jack.

"What's this?" he enquired as a piece of oilskin fell from the sack and Jack unrolled it, starting in surprise as an uncanny likeness of Oliver Fernan stared back at him. "Ah… sorry…"

"That's all right," Celia smiled, looking with sadness at the painting. "We had our portraits done at a fair in Cockburn Town, Oliver kept mine on board the ship," she told him, taking the picture and rolling it back in the protective cloth.

"Aye, of course he did," Jack nodded. '_Bloody hell_! _Maybe she did love him_…' "Did he know about this one?" he asked, indicating her swollen belly.

"No," Celia sighed. "He'd been away for three months by the time I found out about his… death," she gulped, wondering why it was suddenly affecting her once more.

"What else you got in there?" he enquired, changing the subject.

"Food, a flask of water, and thirty five guineas," she replied, looking pointedly at Jack.

"Celia…" he warned with a sigh. "I've told you…"

"And I've told you," Celia shrugged, her jaw set determinedly. "Are you all right, darling?" she asked her daughter, wrapping her arm around the child and holding her close.

"Yes, Mama," she murmured. "How long will we have to stay here?"

Celia glanced at Jack who shrugged. "Not long," she assured the child. "Just until the fires go out."

"Th'way this wind is fannin' th'flames, that shouldn't take long," Jack mused aloud. "An' with everythin' so dry anyway…"

The three of them fell into silence as they watched the pirate town burn until Celia found her head drooping, smiling gratefully at Jack as he lifted a sleeping Milly onto his lap and shuffled closer, offering Celia his shoulder to lean on. "What are we going to do tonight?" she asked, holding his hand quite without thinking as she nestled up to him.

"I'll keep watch," Jack promised, glancing at the sinking sun and working out how long there was left until night. "You'll be safe, I swear."

"I don't suppose you have another pistol, do you?"

"Eh?"

"I can use them, you know," Celia shuddered, thinking about the man she had shot at her home in Cockburn. "Oliver taught me."

"I know yer can, but no, I don't," Jack sighed ruefully, wishing he had had thought to bring more weapons with him. "Go ter sleep."

"I can't," she smiled ruefully. "It's too damned uncomfortable for a start!"

"Celia Hammond!" Jack admonished jokingly. "Swearin' like that!"

"Hmpf!" she snorted with derision. "I've come a long way since that uptight little virgin you once set your cap at, Captain Sparrow."

"My cap has never moved, luv," he admitted, squeezing her hand.

Celia gulped, biting her lip as a mixture of fear and excitement coursed through her veins. She opened her mouth to reply but got interrupted by a man coming and standing in front of them.

"Cap'n," Noah Trinity nodded. "Glad to see yo an' Miss Celia safe, Sir."

"Noah!" Jack greeted, grateful to see his crewman, but cursing his terrible timing as well. "Yer didn't make th'ship?"

"No, I was helpin' ter try an' put out th'fire." He squatted down beside Celia, either not noticing or not reacting to their holding hands, and made himself comfortable on the ground.

"I hope no one took risks," Jack frowned.

"Some of th'shop keepers did," the former slave shrugged. "It wasn't nice…"

"I'll bet," his captain shuddered, thinking there couldn't be a worse death than the one he had so nearly had once at the hands of the cannibals.

"Some fuckin' king of Tortuga ya turned out ter be!"

In a flash, Jack and Noah sprang to their feet, weapons at the ready to face a posse of seven or eight men advancing on them. "Celia," Jack ordered, handing the rudely awoken Milly to her mother. "Go…"

Celia did not need any second bidding and scrambled up, clutching Milly to her as she started down the gentler slope than the one they had come up. "B-be careful," she stammered.

"Trinity, go with her an' make sure she an' Milly are safe."

"Better if _you_ go, Cap'n – I'll hold 'em off."

"Fer fuck's sake, man! Go an' protect th'two people who mean most ter me in th'world, savvy?" Jack snarled, waving his dagger in one hand whilst aiming his pistol at the man who had threatened him. "You reckon you can blame th'fire on me?" he asked, addressing the aggressors.

"Come on, Miss Celia," Noah urged, running down to catch them up and taking her arm, propelling her faster.

"B-but Jack… go and help him," she gasped, trying to pull away.

"He wants yo an' Milly safe," he shrugged, hoping that none of the men would come after them.

…

"This town has gone ter rack an' ruin since ya took over," the lead man taunted, sneering at Jack as they crept ever closer. "It's a piss pot."

"It always _was_," Jack sighed. "I was improvin' th'place, not that th'likes of you would ever be sober enough ter notice."

"Yer a poor fuckin' excuse fer a pirate, let alone king of Tortuga!"

"Yer leave Cap'n Sparrer alone, yer stupid bastard," Ben Matthews warned and Jack looked with relief as he and a group of other dockhands surrounded the threatening group.

"Ya wanna fight, Matthews, yer ugly git?"

"With pleasure, Bernards," the stevedor grinned as he lauched himself forwards and before he had chance to think, Jack found himself also diving into the thong, yelling at the top of his voice as he fired his pistol and clubbed several men with it before it fell from his grasp, then he switched to his dagger, thrusting it into, he hoped, one of the aggressors.

…

"Oh!" Celia gasped, looking back at the explosion of noise from the top of the hill. "Noah, _please_."

"Yo an' Milly are more important," he stated, shaking his head. "Come on, th'flames haven't reached this side." He led her to the left, moving deeper into the heart of the island and away from the fires that were now raging through the forest that covered the island, now that most of the buildings in the town had been destroyed.

"But there is nowhere to escape it!" she protested.

"We're goin' ter head back fer th'docks once th'fires have passed," Noah told her. "Just trust me, Miss Celia. Do yo want me ter have Milly?"

"Please," she nodded, her arms and back aching from having to run with her five year old daughter in her arms.

"Come on, Milly," he beamed at the frightened, whimpering child. "We'll soon be safe."

"But what about Papa?" she asked tearfully. "Those men were going to hurt him."

'_Papa_?' Celia thought in shock. '_How long has she been calling him Papa_?'

"Milly, yo father is Cap'n Jack Sparrow, there's no one can hurt him."

"Noah, please don't raise her hopes like that," Celia chided reproachfully.

"Sorry, Miss Celia – but it is th'truth," he shrugged as he led the way. "He'll be fine, I'd stake m'life on it."

'_Am I going to lose another love_?' Celia wondered, biting her lip hard enough to draw blood as she tried to push the thought from her mind. '_Oh, dear Lord, no_…'

…

"Go, Cap'n Sparrow!" Ben urged as they fought side by side. "We'll see 'em off."

"I'm not leavin' yer until this has been quelled, savvy?" Jack panted as he despatched another adversary. "Thanks, Ben."

"S'all right, Cap'n," the dockhand assured him. "I learned earlier that m'good wife didn't make it, so I ain't got a lot ter live fer."

"I'm sorry, Ben," he sympathised. "But she wouldn't want yer killin' yourself fer nothin'."

"She thought a lot of yer, did my Ella – have m'guts fer garters if I didn't try an' help yer." He glanced around, laughing out loud as the aggressors dropped their weapons in surrender. "Look at 'em run, th'fuckin' cowards! Now will yer go, Cap'n?"

"I can't" Jack sighed, wanting nothing more than to find Celia and his daughter. "I have ter stay in case of more trouble – I wouldn't be much of a leader if I didn't, eh?"

"There ain't much of a town ter be leader of," the stevedore reminded him, nodding at the ruined town.

"No," Jack agreed with a rueful smile. "But I'm still king an' I'm not runnin' out just because of what's happened, savvy?"

"Three cheers fer Cap'n Sparrer!" a voice in the victorious crowd called, and Jack had the good grace to look slightly self-conscious as the cries rang out.

…

"What's that?" Celia fretted as they heard loud noises coming from the clifftop.

"Dunno," the black crewman replied, "but I ain't goin' back up ter find out."

They continued in silence for a while as they skirted the woods where the fire had already raged, taking care over the red hot cinders and flying sparks until they reached the edge of town, not far from where Celia's house had been.

"Nearly there," Noah panted, sweat pouring down his face. "We'll see if there's a boat that I can row yer out in."

"Out to what?" Celia enquired, looking over the flattened landscape at the harbour, now clearly visible. "There are no ships…"

"Th'_Pearl_ should be just off th'island – they won't have gone far," he assured her with a smile. "Here," he beamed as he spotted an abandoned boat still moored to the wharf. "I hoped that someone'd have left it too late ter row out…"

"Oi! Piss off, yer bastard! We're takin' that!"

Noah thrust Milly into Celia's arms and went for his pistol, stashed inside the waist of his breeches, but he was a fraction too late and the leader of the group of men approaching, took aim and fired his own weapon, taking the _Pearl_ man straight through the chest.

"_Noah_!" Celia shrieked, clutching her screaming child tighter. "No…"

"I suggest, unless yer want ter entertain us before we row out, yer run as fast as yer pretty little legs'll take yer," he snarled, indicating for his friends to get in the boat.

"But…" she spluttered, looking down at Noah and realising that there was nothing to be done for him. "You bastard!" she spat, turning around and running away as quickly as her bulk and the sobbing child would allow, all the time waiting for a pistol shot to take her as well.

…


	5. Chapter 5

Usual disclaimers 

Thank you to those who have reviewed, and to Kat for having a look-see at it. This is set a few hours after the end of the last chapter.

Oh, and there's a bit of naughty in this chapter… ;)

… Chapter Five 

"What…?" Jack frowned as he approached the figure, lying face up on the quayside. "Jesus… _no_!" He looked around in panic, almost dreading what else he might discover besides the body of his crewman, but finding the area deserted. "Celia!" he shouted as loudly as he could. "Celia – where are you?" but the only response was the cries of a flock of birds, taking flight the noise. "Bloody hell, Noah," he mourned, taking his hat off and bowing his head as he stood over the body before looking up and striding away, his eyes scanning the ruined dock area. "Celia!" he called again. "Where th'hell are you?" he muttered quietly to himself, a knot of terror growing in his belly.

…

"Mama?" Milly whimpered, snuggling closer, "I'm cold, Mama."

"I know, my darling," Celia whispered, hugging the child and rubbing her arms. She had not intended hiding in the old stone warehouse at the far end of the docks, but there had been gangs of men roaming and she was terrified for hers and her daughter's safety. She jumped as something scurried across the floor, almost crying with relief when she saw a shadowy rat running along and she wondered how long they would have to stay hidden. "Milly," she whispered. "I'm just going to go and have a look outside. It is _very_ important that you stay right where you are, all right?"

"I don't want you to go," Milly wailed, her bottom lip quivering. "Please let me come with you, I'll be good."

"I'm only going to the door to see what is happening, I promise I shan't be long."

…

'_Bloody hell, I wish I had stayed with Ben an' th'others now_,' Jack lamented, reflecting on the offer of Ben Matthews to form a protective posse, but Jack, in his arrogance and eagerness to get back to his ship and, he believed, Celia, had declined and gone his own way. '_Damned fool, Sparrow_!' he cursed, mentally kicking himself. He ducked behind the still smouldering ruins of a house as another mob appeared in view and sent up a prayer that Celia had managed to get to safety somewhere. '_What was that_?' he wondered, debating whether he had really seen a shadow moving about by a warehouse or whether it was his eyes playing tricks on him in the encroaching darkness of night. '_Good place ter hide_…' Jack half cocked his pistol and crept towards the store, keeping to what little shadows there were in an effort not to be seen.

…

'_Oh, Lord_,' Celia gasped, hiding back in the darkness of the warehouse as she saw a gang wandering along. '_Please don't let them come in here_.' She felt her way around the wall, making for where she had left Milly, but froze on the spot when she heard the door creaking open. '_No, please no_…'

"Mama?" Milly's voice piped up, making Celia's heart sink to the ground.

"Milly?" came Jack's voice. "Celia, are you here, luv?"

"Jack!" she gasped, her knees giving way in sheer relief and she sank to the ground. "Oh, God, Jack!"

"It's all right," he assured her, his voice getting closer. "You're safe now."

"They killed…"

"I know," he sighed as he reached her and he too sank to his knees, holding her tightly. "I thought… I'd lost you both."

"Oh, Jack," Celia sobbed, burying her face in his neck. "I thought I was going to lose you, as well."

"Mama? Papa?" Milly cried impatiently. "Where are you?"

"Come on, let's go an' rescue trouble, eh?" Jack chuckled, standing and helping Celia to her feet. "I love you," he whispered, squeezing her hand.

"I love you, Jack," she gulped, trying to keep a tight hold of her emotions, lest she break down completely. "Part of me always has."

"Are we staying here all night?" Milly demanded as they reached her. "I don't like it!"

"It's as good a place as any ter hide," Jack reasoned. "But yer have ter be quiet otherwise everyone'll want ter hide here an' we won't be able ter sleep, eh?"

"It's too cold and uncomfortable to sleep," she grumbled, positioning herself between her parents.

"I tell you what, darlin'," Jack crooned, shifting so he could take his coat off. "I'll wrap you up in my coat an' you'll be as snug as a bug in a rug, savvy?"

"Thank you, Papa," Milly replied, feeling his face with small fingers until she located his lips and reached up and planted a kiss on them. "Night, night," she murmured sleepily as she lay down, wrapped up in the battered coat.

"Night, my darlin'," Jack whispered, kissing her head. "Sweet dreams."

"Goodnight, Milly," Celia smiled, resting her head on Jack's shoulder and holding his hand in the dark. "I wonder why no one else has thought to come in here?"

"Probably because th'only ones in town are too interested in lookin' fer trouble," Jack mused, bringing her hand up to lips and kissing it. "We should be safe enough until mornin'."

"And then?"

"Don't ask me," he sighed. "This time last night, life was normal an' now there isn't even a town ter speak of."

"I can't believe how quickly it spread," she breathed, thinking back to early that morning when she had the children had fled their house in terror. "Oh, Lord, I hope Connor is safe…"

"Elliot would have taken him straight ter th'ship," Jack promised. "Matty'll know how ter look after him."

"Yes," Celia agreed doubtfully. "I'm sure he will…"

"Stop yer frettin' an' try an' get some sleep. "It's been a very long day."

…

'_What th'hell was that_?' Jack thought as he snapped awake. '_Th'Pearl…_' he waited for a second, nodding to himself as two shots fired, one immediately after the other, his heart sinking. "Here we go again," he muttered out loud. "Celia, luv – wake up. We've got ter go."

"Hmm? Go where?" she asked sleepily, stretching her stiff and sore muscles.

"As far away from here as we can – th'_Pearl's_ just fired a warnin'."

"Meaning?" Celia demanded, opening her eyes fully and staring at Jack in shock.

"That trouble's likely ter be on th'way or already here. Come on…" He scooped Milly up in his arms, kissing away her protest at being so rudely awoken, and grabbed Celia's hand, heaving her to her feet.

"But what about food and suchlike?"

"We'll have ter see what we can get on th'way," he informed her over his shoulder as he headed for the door.

"On the way where? _Jack_?"

"I'm sorry, luv," he sighed, stopping and facing her. "I know you're exhausted and frightened, but Gibbs wouldn't sound th'warnin' unless it was serious, savvy?"

"So where _are_ we going?" she asked wearily, resigned to more upheaval.

"I have a dory hidden in a cove about five miles ter th'west – it's stocked with food an' money. We can sail back from there."

"And what if the danger is at sea?"

"Pray it isn't," he sighed gravely.

…

"_Bloody _hell,' Jack thought as he brought his spyglass down, reeling with shock at the sight of two ships approaching the harbour mouth to Tortuga, his mouth going dry as he recognised the _Sea's Cutlass_ – the ship of Davy Stockton. "Navy!" he lied. "Th'Bloody Navy!"

Celia did not speak as she watched the two ships approached the island, not appearing to bother with the lone pirate ship, the _Black Pearl_, as she sailed away from the island and them. She winced as the child within her kicked hard and she shifted uncomfortably on the hard baked ground, wishing they did not have so far to walk.

"I'm sorry, Celia, but we have ter go…" Jack frowned, reaching over and stroking her face and wishing he did not have to put her through this. "We'll go at your pace, savvy? Th'Navy won't go any further than th'outskirts of town." '_God, I hope he doesn't come searchin_'…'

"But they might, knowing that people will have fled the fire. You don't think they started it, do you?"

"It's th'sort of thing they'd do, ter be sure, but no. They would have attacked immediately an' not given th'ships chance ter leave th'harbour." He knelt before her and cupped her face in his hands. "I'll keep you an' Milly safe, I swear…" '_Even if it's th'last thing I do…_'

"I know you will," she nodded, sighing blissfully as he closed his lips over hers. "I've always trusted you."

"_Always_?" he remarked, raising an eyebrow.

"Always," she confirmed, her lips brushing against his as she spoke. "Even when you were an incorrigible rouge."

"Y'mean I'm not now?" he cried in mock horror.

"All right, _more_ of an incorrigible rouge than you are now," she chuckled, losing herself to his kiss once again.

"We have ter go," Jack murmured with regret as he broke away, also grateful that they had steered away from the subject of the ships. "We'll find somewhere t'rest up fer th'night an' should reach th'cove before noon tomorrow."

"Good," Celia sighed, easing herself up and rubbing her belly as the baby protested at the movement. "It's a strange coincidence that they turn up as Tortuga burns," she mused, looking once again at the two sloops, their flags still with the lack of wind.

"Nah – they probably saw th'smoke an' wondered what th'hell was goin' on. They won't catch many fer hangin' – serve them right, the bas… swine," he corrected, aware of his daughter's ears being cocked. "Up yer come, young lady," he growled playfully, picking Milly up and putting her on his back. "Just be grateful that you're little an' can be carried."

"Won't they be able to see us up here?" Celia pondered.

"Aye, they could," Jack confirmed as they started on their way once more. "But they won't bother comin' all this way just fer two people, even if they _did_ spot us."

They walked on in silence for a few miles, saving their energy for struggling through dense undergrowth and steep hillocks in the burning heat, before coming upon a field of grass.

"This is wheat…" Jack frowned, running his fingertips across the ears of the cereal. "What th'hell…?"

"Look – it's a farm!" Celia exclaimed, pointing at a ruined building just ahead of them. "I didn't think there were any farms on Tortuga."

"Me neither," Jack mused thoughtfully. "Must be from before th'pirates took over. At least it'll give us some shelter tonight, eh?"

"I suppose it's too much to ask that it'll shelter us from these damned insects!" she grumbled, swatting at the annoying swarm hovering over her.

"They'll go once it cools down," he promised, turning his head and giving her a sympathetic smile. "They never bother me…"

"Probably the fact that you don't wash – much," she teased, bobbing her tongue out as he pulled a face at her.

"Cheeky madam," he muttered, narrowing his eyes at her before poking his own tongue out. "I'll have you know I last bathed… a month ago!" he declared after having thought about it for a few moments.

"Hmm, I believe you, thousands wouldn't." Celia sighed with relief when they finally reached the farmstead and dropped her knapsack on the ground, suddenly too weary to carry it any further.

"Come on, luv," Jack soothed, taking a sleeping Milly from his back and holding her in one arm whilst reaching out for Celia with his free hand. "We'll rest as long as you like, eh?"

"But we need to get away quickly, don't we?"

"No, you need ter rest – they won't find us," he assured her, pushing open the rickety door and peering inside, surprised to see it still furnished. "We can perhaps make some flour from that wheat – there's a stream th'other side of th'farmyard an' there might be some other crops we can use."

"You never cease to amaze me," Celia chuckled, sinking gratefully into an old and dusty but solid chair, easing her aching back.

"Celia… _Celia_…"

"Yes," she put in, grinning, "you're Captain Jack Sparrow…"

"You're learnin'!" he quipped with a wink as he placed Milly onto Celia's lap. "I'll have a look around – see what I can find. Will you be all right?"

"Yes," Celia murmured sleepily, her eyes already drooping. "We'll be fine…"

"But first, I'll see if there's a bed you can kip in…" Jack opened a door to his left and looked into the other room, nodding to himself as he spotted a large bed dominating the cramped space. "Here, luv," he called, beckoning to Celia. "This'll be more comfy fer you."

"And dirty," Celia mused as she carried her restless daughter across to where Jack was standing.

"No dirtier than th'chair or th'floor," he shrugged, giving her a shove towards it. "Shan't be long," he promised, planting a kiss on her head.

"Don't be," she fretted, looking from the bed to him. "_Please_."

"Just around th'farm – that's all, I promise, savvy?"

"Savvy," Celia agreed.

By the time Jack returned from scouting the farm and surrounding area, finding some mangoes and watermelons for them to eat and bringing water up from the stream in a pail, which he had found, Celia was fast asleep in the bed with Milly huddled against her in the middle. '_Think I might be joinin' them_,' he thought, sitting on the edge and taking his boots off then lying down, his arm encompassing them both and a contented smile on his face.

…

'_It's no use_,' Celia thought to herself as she tried in vain to both get comfortable and go back to sleep. She smiled at the image of Milly and Jack curled around each other and her heart missed a beat as she saw just how like her father, Milly was. Celia carefully rolled over on her side and placed her feet on the floor, quietly creeping from the room and out of the house. She scanned the horizon for any sign of danger, making her way towards the stream when she felt it was safe to do so, sitting at the edge and scooping up some water to wash her grime covered face with. '_Blow this_,' she thought, and began divesting herself of her clothes, streaked with soot and dirt and smelling horribly of smoke. Celia carefully stepped into the stream and sat down, gasping at the shock of the cool water and then sighing with pleasure as she started to wash the filth from her skin and then her clothes.

"I wondered where you had got to," came Jack's voice and she turned to watch his approach, blushing at the lascivious gleam in his eyes.

"I didn't want to wake you or Milly," she explained, "and this seemed like such a good idea."

"It is," he agreed, pulling his shirt over his head and untying the laces of his breeches. "A very good idea…" Jack sat down in the stream once he was naked, facing Celia and splashing her with water, grinning as she squealed.

"I meant to wash!" she admonished jokingly.

"Two washes in a month!" Jack gasped theatrically. "My reputation'll be ruined!"

"I won't tell anyone," she promised, splashing him back and trying to duck as more water came flying towards her. "It's not fair, I can't move that quickly - you cheat!"

"Pirate!" he winked, moving towards her and winding his hand around the back of her head, pulling her towards him. "Now… isn't this much better than washin'?"

"Mmm," she agreed, her words muffled by Jack's lips and she shuddered with pleasure as his tongue explored her mouth, doing battle with her own as she responded with as much passion as she could.

Jack broke away and nuzzled her neck, his hands cupping her enlarged breasts whilst his thumbs worked her nipples to a hardened peak. "Need you, luv," he rasped, moving further down and taking a nipple in his mouth, sucking and flitting his tongue across it, making Celia arch her back and shiver at the desire sweeping through her body.

"Yes…" she gasped, tangling her fingers in his hair, anchoring his head in place while her free hand ran down his back and scooped up some water, trickling it down his skin, making him tremble with pleasure.

"Come on then," Jack urged, standing up and helping her to her feet, holding her as best he could once they were steady. "I've missed you," he whispered huskily as he lead her to the bank and pulled her out.

"I've missed you, Jack," she replied truthfully, for as much as she and Oliver had loved, she had never felt the same passion that she had for Jack. Celia lay down on her back, gulping at the sight of his arousal and she spread her legs wide, desperate to feel him inside her.

"I'll be gentle," he promised, looking at her large belly.

"No need - it won't hurt or harm the baby. _Please_, Jack…"

"You want me, eh?" he growled as he slid his hands beneath her back and lifted her up, shuffling forwards so his legs supported her and his manhood pressed against her moist folds.

"You know I do, now stop teasing me, Jack Sparrow!"

"Ah, got a bit more forceful since I last had yer…" he grinned, sliding his fingers along her swollen lips until he came to her entrance.

"Jack…" she croaked, arching her back. "_Please_…"

"Your wish is my command," he replied, a seductive smile on his face as he guided his erection inside her, closing his eyes as her hot tunnel enclosed him fully. "Sweet… mother," he gasped, opening his eyes and looking deep into hers. "It's been _far_ too long…"

"Yes," Celia sighed, savouring the feel of him inside her once more before jerking her hips towards him. "Now take me!"

"Yes, M'am," he chuckled, holding on to her hips as he started to thrust gently – determined to make this last.

"Oh, Jack," Celia moaned as old familiar feelings coursed through her. "I-I've been so stupid…"

"Nah – no more than usual, at least," he teased, quickening his pace, knowing that his wish to draw out their loving would be folly. No woman had ever affected him as the one beneath him had, and he doubted any woman ever would.

"Watch it!" she warned with a grin, running her hands along his legs bent under her. "I might turn nasty!"

"Hmm," he responded, wriggling his eyebrows at the thought, his eyes dancing with amusement and lust. "I might hold yer t'that." He thrust harder, almost withdrawing before thrusting deep into her again and again, until Celia started to pant and writhe.

"J-Jack… oh, God… Jack…" she gasped, clutching his legs as her passion took over her body entirely and she opened her mouth in shock but no sound would emerge, just a strangled cry as he continued to drive harder until with a shout, Jack shot his seed into her, white hot flames engulfing him as she swivelled her hips, milking him of every last drop of his juice until he sagged over her, panting hard.

"Bloody hell, Celia," he muttered once he had mustered enough strength to talk. "I'd forgotten…"

"I hadn't," Celia panted, wincing as he slowly withdrew. "I'm so sorry…" she gulped, turning her head so he would not see the tears which sprang up.

"Eh? What's wrong, luv?" Jack turned her back to face him, a frown creasing his brow when he saw the tears.

"I wish… oh, I don't know! Part of me wishes I had never run away – a very large part, but then…"

"Things happen fer a reason, luv," Jack smiled gently, kissing away a tear trickling down her cheek. "Maybe we weren't meant ter be back then, eh? Maybe _this_ is our time."

"You think so?"

"Aye," he nodded, lying beside her and holding her close. "I think so, so stop yer frettin', savvy?"

"Savvy," Celia agreed, resting her head on his chest and listening to his heart as it began to slow to a more normal beat.

"Is that th'babe?" Jack wondered as he felt something bump against his midriff.

"Yes," Celia chuckled, taking his hand and placing it on her belly, laughing as Jack nearly jumped out of his skin when the baby kicked against his hand.

"How long before it's born?"

"About two months or so, maybe less," she replied, her smile fading as she thought of the child's father.

"I'm glad you met up with Oliver," Jack assured her, reading her mind. "At least I know he would have treated you right."

"He did," she nodded. "Like a queen. I just wish…"

"I know," Jack put in, hugging her tighter. "But you _did_ love him, just differently, that's all."

"Yes," Celia agreed, her smile returning. "Differently…"

"Speakin' of love…" Jack grinned, getting up and hovering over her, a wicked glint in his eyes.

"_Jack_!" she giggled, reaching up and pulling him to her. "You're a bad influence on me."

"_I'm_ a bad influence on _you_?" he remarked, a look of mock outrage on his face. "I'm a good boy until you're around – an' then I'm a better boy…!"

His lips crushing against hers muffled Celia's laughter and she lost herself to the feeling and passion of his loving once more.

…

"This is horrible!" Milly complained, spitting out the food which she had been chewing. "I want proper bread!"

"I'm sorry, darling," Celia shrugged, "but this is the best I can do." She had spent all morning grinding down the wheat Jack had collected, as finely as she could, before baking it on a stone in the hot sun. She had to admit that it did not look particularly appetising. "There's nothing else to eat, so you'll have to put up with it."

"Yuck, yuck, yuck," the child moaned, pulling a face at her mother but taking another bite of the hunk of grainy bread.

"You wait until you try hardtack, young lady," Jack warned as he entered the small cottage. "You'll have somethin' ter moan about then."

"What's hardtack, Jack?" Milly enquired after swallowing her food.

"And why will she be trying hardtack at all?" her mother put in, a frown on her brow. "We're not living on board…"

"No," Jack reassured her, raising his hands to pacify her. "But you will be on board whilst we find you somewhere safe ter live…"

"Somewhere…? _Leave_ Tortuga?" Celia gasped.

"There's nothin' here fer you – an' I want you an' the children ter be safe."

"But I'll have to leave my friends," she bewailed. "And I'd have to build up my business again."

"Celia, luv, there's no one left ter clean clothes for. It's goin' ter take a very long time fer Tortuga to get back on her feet, savvy?"

"But you're still going to be here, aren't you?"

"Yes," Jack admitted. "I intend buildin' it how _I_ want to." '_Davy Stockton notwithstanding_…'

"And what about… me, _us_?"

"I'll see you so often you'll be sick of th'sight of me," he winked. "I don't intend you ter be far away, just somewhere away from pirates."

"Is _anywhere_ away from pirates?" Celia demanded, wiping her hands on her dress and walking towards him. "I'm not sure I want you deciding what is best for me and my children."

"I'm not tryin' ter run your life, Celia," Jack reasoned, reaching out and taking her hand. "But there are men who would use you an' th'children against me, savvy?"

"Yes," she sighed, seeing his argument. "It's just… I never seem to settle anywhere for long."

"Maybe I'll do this place up an' keep you here!" he joked, kissing her hand. "Can't see many pirates wantin' ter traipse all this way an' have ter drag you an' three nippers along. Or maybe we'll just stay here together an' grow crops, eh?"

"Give up the sea? The great and infamous Jack Sparrow? I'd like to see that!" Celia snorted, chuckling and shaking her head.

"Why won't you live with us?" Milly demanded.

"Because Ja… your father's life is the sea," Celia explained gently. "He wouldn't, _couldn't_ live on the land for too long.

"And what about Connor? Where is he?" the girl asked tearfully.

"I told you, luv," Jack smiled, loosing Celia's hand and squatting down to Milly's level, brushing a strand of hair from her eyes. "He's safely on board th'_Pearl_, where my crew are lookin' after him.

"Yes," Celia put in, a little more uncertainly, a lump forming in her throat as she thought of her young son. "He'll be fine," she added breezily, hurrying outside before Milly could see her tears.

"He _will_ be fine," Jack told her after he had instructed Milly to stay where she was. "There's bound ter be women on board th'ship as well as crew – he'll be havin' th'time of his life… all right, maybe not," he added at her sharp glance, "but he _is_ safe, I swear ter you."

"Yes, Jack," Celia sighed, resting her head on his shoulder and wiping away her tears. "I just can't help but worry."

"Come on, th'sooner we get goin', th'sooner we can make our way back ter th'town."

"But how can we until the Navy have gone? Wouldn't it be better to stay here – at least we have food and water."

Jack frowned, looking in the direction of his town, wondering if Stockton had finished in the town or intended making sure that no one could re-build it ever again – not even himself. "One more day," he sighed eventually, knowing he could not be as reckless with Celia and his daughter's lives as he frequently was with his own.

…


	6. Chapter 6

Usual disclaimers This chapter takes place the following day 

…

**Chapter Six**

"See, I told you it wouldn't take long ter get here," Jack beamed as they looked down on the small cove in which he had hidden the dory.

"No," Celia agreed thankfully. After the amount of walking they had done to reach the farm, she was not sure she could walk too much further. "Jack…?" she mused as a thought suddenly came to her. "Why didn't you see the cottage when you found the way to this cove before?"

"Because I've never actually _walked _ter th'cove," he admitted with a rueful shrug, grinning sheepishly at her frown. "We sailed it round an' sailed back again in th'_Pearl_.

"Now you tell me," she remarked. "Come on, there's no point standing here and looking at it…"

"Are we going home?" Milly asked excitedly, clutching both her parent's hands. "Will Con be there?"

"Our home has gone," Celia told her gently. "The fire burned it down, but Connor will be waiting for us when we meet up with Papa's ship.

"_When_ will we meet Papa's ship?"

Celia looked at Jack for an answer, finding only a shrug, and she pulled a face as she considered her answer. She had never knowingly lied to her children and she was not about to start now. "Hopefully soon, but the Navy scared them off so it might be some time before they dare to return."

"I thought pirates were tough!" the child pouted, folding her arms crossly. "They can't be that tough if two measly Navy ships frighten them all away!"

"No, luv," Jack chuckled, squatting down to her level. "Th'ships are made of wood an' burn all too easily, savvy, an th'fire chased them all away."

"Including your ship?" Milly asked, her lower lip jutting out.

"I hope my ship!" Jack declared theatrically. "Or I'll have Gibbs' guts fer garters!"

"That's silly!" his daughter giggled, throwing her arms around his neck. "But we _will_ meet up with them, won't we?"

"We will," he promised, holding her tightly. "Now come on, I have food stored in th'dory."

"Proper food…?"

"Aye, proper food," he laughed, taking her hand and leading the way down the steep path. "Includin' hardtack!"

Celia watched from a perch on a large rock once they reached the bottom, as Jack, aided by Milly, uncovered the dory, marvelling at the use of a tree, which had fallen down the cliff in a landslide to disguise the boat. "Do you need any help?" she called.

"I might ter get her upright," he replied, taking his shirt off as the heat of the day started to get to him. "See that cave? There's some rope lengths in there, can you bring one out for me?"

"How long?"

"Long!" Jack watched as Celia wearily made her way to the cave, wishing that he had not had to drag them both across land to safety. He smiled to himself as she noticed him looking and bobbed a curtsy in her petticoat, her dress long since discarded in to her rucksack as being too hot to walk in.

Celia started as she reached the mouth of the cave, gasping at the sight of it crammed full with chests, ropes, sackcloth and various other bits and pieces. She selected a large coiled rope and tried to pick it up, realising the folly of it as it was far too heavy and so dragged it across the ground, making a trail in the sand as she went.

"Here," Jack murmured in her ear as he came to assist. "I'll give you a hand…"

"Behave," she scolded lightly as his hand pressed against her bottom. "We have work to do."

"Damn!" he cursed with a wink as he lifted the coil of rope and slung it over his shoulder.

Celia watched him walk back to the dory, musing how his wiry frame belied the strength of the man, and slowly followed him, standing with Milly as Jack tied the rope on to the bow. "Come on, Milly," she urged her daughter, doubting that he would not be able to drag the boat on his own.

"You're not pullin'," Jack warned as they approached. "I can manage." He picked his shirt up off the sand and put it back on, not wanting the rope to chafe his skin.

"You'll never get it to the tideline!" Celia exclaimed, glaring at him for his stubbornness as he began to heave on the rope.

Jack ignored her and continued pulling, every muscle in his body taut with the effort but finally the dory began to move, and he dug his heels deep into the sand as he strained some more.

"I'll help you, Papa," Milly declared, running over to the boat and pushing on the stern. "Is it moving now?" she called as she heaved with all of her six year old strength.

"Aye, luv, it is," Jack smiled, trying to keep the momentum going. To his relief, he soon felt the water lapping around his ankles and he let the rope go slack and sat heavily in the shallows, grateful for the cooling effort of the sea. "You can stop pushin' now," he told his daughter and grinned as her head appeared around the stern of the boat. "Th'water'll float her once it's deep enough."

"We did it!" she squealed, throwing herself into Jack's arms and overbalancing them both.

"Whoa!" Jack cried as he ended up on his back in the water, with a giggling Milly on top. "Now look what you've done!" he growled playfully, pushing her off into the water and splashing her.

"No!" she shrieked, splashing back and Celia watched from the shore, smiling and shaking her head as father and daughter played in the shallows.

"Come on, lass," Jack smiled eventually. "We have ter get th'boat stocked so we can sail back ter th'town."

"What if the Navy are still there?" Celia enquired, giving Jack a hand up and gasping with surprise as he caught her in an embrace.

"I couldn't see them when I looked yesterday," he murmured, his lips brushing against hers as he spoke. "We should be all right…" '_Please believe me…_.'

"You _always_ kissing!" Milly sighed with great exaggeration as she watched her parents' clinch. "Tommy Farrier says that's how you make babies by kissing."

"Tommy Farrier doesn't know everythin'," Jack smiled as he broke away. "Who _is_ Tommy Farrier, anyway?"

"He lives down th'street from us – _lived_. I hope he's all right," the girl frowned as she thought of her friend and sometime foe with whom she fought a few battles with during her time in the house by the docks.

"I thought we had a boat to stock," Celia put in, not wanting her daughter upset by the fate of those they knew. She was having a hard time trying not to worry about Aggie and the other girls, let alone her toddler son, and the last thing she wanted was for Milly to start fretting as well.

"Aye, that we do," Jack lamented, kissing the tip of her nose before letting her go.

"Not you!" Celia stated firmly. "You can rest, Milly and I will manage quite well enough."

"But…"

"_No_! Sit down and rest – you look about ready to keel over."

"Aye aye, Cap'n," Jack replied with a grin and a smart salute, plopping back down on the sand and watching as Celia and Milly walked hand in hand to the cave. '_You're a lucky bastard, Sparrow_,' he mused. '_Just don't bugger it up, eh_?' He stared at Celia's bump as they returned laden with food and jars, wondering if he'd be able to love Oliver's child as Oliver had obviously loved his, reasoning that he probably would as he was already fond of Connor, and the unborn child would know no other father than himself. '_Father_…?' he thought, smiling wryly to himself. '_Jack Sparrow, infamous pirate, an' father_…'

"What are you grinning like a fool, for?" Celia enquired as she laid down her load on the sand, well away from the water's edge, indicating for Milly to do the same.

"Just contemplatin' life's little foibles," he replied, leaning his arms on bent knees and resting his chin on them. "An' how utterly ravishin' you look…"

"Jack Sparrow…" Celia warned teasingly. "I have work to do!"

"Alas," he sighed theatrically, pulling a face for good measure. He turned so that he was facing the sea, the worry that he had not sighted a ship of any description since they had fled Tortuga, returning with a vengeance and he had the horrible feeling that Stockton was laying waste to the town, either making sure that Jack could not get it up and running again, or wanting to take it over himself. '_Looks like I'll be based elsewhere from now on_,' he sighed, tugging at his beard braids. '_An' I know just th'place_…'

…

"Damned bastards!" Joshamee Gibbs spat in a rare display of temper. "Why can't they be done with and go!"

"Ain't got a clue," Gabriel Jennings sighed, leaning on the helm and looking in the general direction of Tortuga. "I hope th'Cap'n is all right, an' Miss Celia…"

"Aye, fer th'nipper's sake," Gibbs frowned, thinking of the small boy who had been wailing for his mother, despite Aggie taking care of him.

"Should we…?"

"Make fer th'cove? You reckon they'd have made it there – with Celia's condition, and all?"

"Might as well look," Gabriel shrugged. Better than sittin' here waitin' fer th'fuckin' bastard ter go!"

"Aye," the acting captain agreed. "Ready the guns though, just in case…"

"Aye, an' I'll double th'watch from the masts," Gabriel replied in his capacity as second in command.

"All hands ter deck!" Gibbs bellowed. "We're going to the cove!"

"'Bout bloody time, too," Elliot muttered. "Dunno why we didn't just stay near th'cove in th'first place…"

"Because th'wind blew us off course, yer daft eejit!" John Orchard mocked, rolling his eyes at Matthias Swain.

"We could've used th'sweeps," the younger man argued. "That would've worked."

"I tell yer what, why don't yer piss off an' find yer own command an' see if you can do any better, eh?" John snapped, the shock of the fire and then the pirate ships turning up, setting most of the crew's tempers on edge.

"All right, all right, calm down," Elliot retorted, starting to climb to rigging. "I'll just bugger off up here until yer in a fairer mood, shall I?"

"An' see if yer can start talkin' some sense while yer there, an' all!" came the carpenter's response.

"He'll only have himself ter talk to so of course he'll make sense," Matthias chuckled, winking broadly at his friend who grinned in spite of himself.

"Aye, reckon yer right," John chuckled ruefully, looking up at the figure of Elliot climbing ever higher. "Daft bugger…"

…

"In yer get," Jack urged, picking Milly up and putting her inside the upright dory. "You are goin' ter be a little more difficult," he mused, looking at Celia. "This couldn't've happened _after_ yer'd had th'baby, eh?"

"Sorry," Celia apologised ruefully, hitching her skirts up and yelping with alarm as Jack scooped her up and put her, none too gently, into the boat, before climbing aboard himself.

"Take th'helm an' keep her steady," he ordered, busying himself unfurling the sail. "Milly, go an' sit with yer mother."

"Yes, Papa," the child obeyed, dodging beneath his legs and sitting on the bench next to Celia, placing her hand over her mother's on the helm. "I'll help her steer it."

"Good girl," Jack muttered, his mind otherwise occupied. "Celia, steer the helm to th'east."

"Which way is east?"

"Ter your left," he informed her, tying the sail securely and stopping to check the wind direction, pulling a face when he realised it was behind them. "Bugger," he muttered beneath his breath. '_We'll never make Tortuga at this rate_,' Jack thought darkly. '_We'll end up on Haiti_…' he pondered, looking across the Strait of Tortuga at the much larger island beyond.

"Problem?" Celia enquired, a worried frown creasing her brow. "You haven't seen a ship, have you?"

"As a matter of fact, I have…" Jack grinned, relief flooding over him as the bow of the _Black Pearl_ appeared around the headland. "About bloody time you lot showed up!" he shouted, cupping his hands around his mouth.

"Oh!" Celia exclaimed, hugging Milly to her in delight. "Oh, thank the Lord!"

"Nah, just Gibbs," Jack quipped, winking at her.

"Ahoy there, Cap'n!" came John Orchards' voice across the divide between them. "Glad ter see yer safe an' sound."

"Here, I'll take th'helm," Jack said, waiting for Celia to move so he could sit on the bench. "I'll tack away until she comes ter a stop then we can go an' meet them."

"Celia!" a woman's voice yelled and she strained to see who it was, relief flooding through her when she spotted Aggie's red hair flaming in the sunshine.

"Gawd, I hope we haven't got a load of whores on board," Jack worried. "Th'men'll never work!"

They sailed a short distance from the large pirate ship, waiting until she came to a halt and then Jack took them towards the black hull, hurling the mooring line up when they bumped against it.

"I'll take Milly up an' you come up in th'chair, eh? Yer haven't forgotten how ter sit in it, have you?"

"I'm sure it will come back to me," Celia smiled, kissing her daughter before Jack picked her up and put her on his back then climbed the Jacob's ladder to the deck.

"Milly!" Aggie shrieked, grabbing the girl into a bear hug. "Aw, gawd, we've been so worried."

"Come on then, luv," Jack smiled as he climbed back down to assist Celia into the chair.

"I thought I said I could manage…" she remarked, arching an eyebrow.

"Aye, but I've got ter be seen ter treat you right in front of th'crew!" he joked, yelping as she hit his bottom. "That bloody hurt!"

"It was meant to!" Celia grinned, leaning over and kissing him before the chair slowly started to rise.

"Mama, Mama!" Milly cried. "Connor is here!"

"Told you," Jack smiled as Celia closed her eyes in relief. "Now ter take you somewhere safe."

"Where?"

"I have an idea but want ter run it with the crew's council first, all right?"

"All right," she nodded, starting as she reached the top and begun to swing around to face into the deck of the _Pearl_. "Connor!" she gasped, flying out of the chair and snatching her son from Aggie's arms. "Oh, Connor!" she sobbed, tears of joy and relief pouring down her face.

"Make fer Port-de-Paix," Jack ordered. "An' keep th'watch goin'. Th'last thing we need if fer th'_Navy_ ter take us by surprise."

"Navy? Port-de-Paix, Captain?" Joshamee enquired, wondering why Jack seemed to think it was the Navy who were in Tortuga.

"_Aye_," Jack responded, stressing the word and glaring at Gibbs to say anything to the contrary. "We need ter drop our _guests_ off. I don't run a passenger ship."

"Fair enough," the quartermaster agreed. "Erm… you didn't mind me taking charge again, did you? Gabriel said he'd rather I did as he felt he hadn't been in my shoes for long enough…"

"Sensible lad," Jack nodded. "Now I know why I chose him as your successor. Celia, ter my cabin, luv – you as well, young lady," he ordered, ushering Milly towards his cabin. "You both need ter rest."

"I'm not going to argue, Jack," Celia replied. "But if you're going to be leaving my friends at Port-de-Paix, I'd like some time with them, _please_."

"All right, they can join yer in th'cabin," he conceded, nodding at Aggie who disappeared below to get the rest of the girls.

"Thank you," she smiled, reaching to peck his cheek and gasping with surprise as Jack turned his head and kissed her properly, much to the delight and amusement of his catcalling crew.

"A pleasure, luv," Jack smiled, indulging his crew their fun this once. "You go an' catch up with yer son an' friends, an' I'll go an' be captain."

"All right," Celia nodded, opening the door to the cabin and stopping as so many memories came flooding back to her.

"Still a mess, eh?" he chuckled, holding her waist and nuzzling her neck, crossing his eyes and making a watching Connor laugh.

"More of a mess, if you ask me!" she teased, moving away from his attentions. "I can see I'm going to be busy…"

"Aye," Jack grinned, his smile fading as some of the whores started streaming into his cabin. "I'll leave yer to it…"

"I take it Celia doesn't know who arrived," Gibbs stated once his captain re-joined him on the quarterdeck.

"No… do th'girls know?"

"Aye," the older man winced. "They all reckon they had a lucky escape."

"Bugger!" Jack swore, a frown creasing his brow. "I can't very well walk in there an' ask ter speak ter all th'girls, can I?"

"No, Celia will know something is up straight away and you wouldn't get a moments peace until you told her…"

"Bugger!" he repeated, turning his head and glaring in the direction of his former town. "So let's deal with him…"

"Eh?"

"You'll see, Gibbs. But first we drop this lot off, Celia included."

…

"Jack?" Celia enquired as she made her way up the steps to where he was standing. "What are you going to do?"

"Leave you at Port-de-Paix for a day or so an' deal with Davy bloody Stockton," he declared.

"But he has two ships – you can't!" she cried, staring at him in disbelief. "Is Tortuga _really_ worth that much to you? So much that you'd put your life at risk and leave Milly without a father yet again?"

"This isn't about Tortuga!" Jack snapped, rounding on her. "It's about you worryin' yourself silly that Stockton will come after you, because I know that you will! It's about makin' sure he doesn't hurt other women th'way he hurt you, savvy?"

"But why is it so important now and not five years ago?"

"Because I didn't know that I loved you five years ago," he hissed quietly. "An' because I didn't know I had a daughter five years ago, a daughter that will grow up an' be in danger from th'likes of him, that's why!"

"Oh…"

"Aye, oh! Now go back an' get some rest. I'll call you when we're there."

"All right," Celia agreed softly, tears glistening in her eyes. "I'm sorry."

Jack sighed as he watched her climb back down the steps and disappear into his cabin, chastising himself for being so harsh with her, but also angry that she still automatically thought the worst of him.

"Almost there, Cap'n," Myles informed him, having heard all of the conversation from his position at the helm.

"I can see that!" Jack barked, taking a deep breath to calm himself down. "Thank you, Mister Burford," he added in a gentler tone. "I'm leavin' some of th'men ashore ter look after Celia an' th'nippers."

"Aye, good idea. D'yer want me ter be one of them?"

"No, I need you at th'helm. Good though Gabriel is, you're th'better helmsman."

"Thanks, Cap'n," he grinned. "So who d'yer have in mind?"

"Josia Phelps, Matty an' Gibbs," Jack pondered, musing out loud. "You reckon that'd be enough?"

"Don't see why not – it'll only be fer a day or so, an' Port-de-Paix ain't a trouble spot."

"That's what I was thinkin'," Jack agreed. "Gibbs! Rouse th'men," he ordered as they neared the port. "An' tell th'women ter be ready."

…

Haiti was the name of the whole island in those days.


	7. Chapter 7

Usual disclaimers

Firstly, if you have not read my profile, then let me explain my absence. Alas my computer died on me a few weeks ago and took with it this story, but I thought I was safe as I had saved it to disc… I discovered that it had not saved properly and I had lost about ¾ of it, including this chapter and those following it. Thanks to the combined efforts of Kat and Hilary, I have managed to scramble together everything but the final chapter, which I am in the process of re-typing. Hopefully it won't be as long before I upload again. Ani

…

**Chapter seven:**

"Quiet as yer like," Jack whispered as they approached the harbour entrance to Tortuga in the witching hour before dawn, all lights on board having been doused almost as soon as they had left Port-de-Paix.

"Thank gawd I know th'way like th'back of me hand," Myles quipped, equally as quiet as his captain. "Are we near enough, yer reckon?"

"Not yet. I know th'way even better than _you_, Myles," Jack chuckled wryly. He closed his eyes, thinking back a few hours to when he had left a tearful Celia behind with solemn promises to return safely. '_I will return to you, luv_,' he thought, sighing at his heavy heart. '_I swear_…' "This will do," he eventually ordered. "Jennings…"

"Aye, Cap'n," the quartermaster nodded, whispering orders to furl the sails, and hearing the order being carried along the length of the decks in hushed tones. "Thank gawd that wind dropped," he breathed. "I wouldn't fancy our chances with not loosin' th'anchors."

"Silence on deck!" Jack barked as loudly as he dared, not wanting to take any chances now he was this close to his prey. He had thought of holding off until the following morning but he did not want to leave it any longer in case Stockton was ready to leave. '_I wish we'd got another ship for back up_,' he lamented, worrying about the second ship that had accompanied the _Sea's Cutlass_ into the harbour. '_Dawn'll be breakin' soon_,' Jack mused, looking towards the horizon and seeing the merest hint of light there. '_I hope ter God I've judged this right_…'

The crew of the _Black Pearl_ waited as patiently as they could until it got light enough to see their exact position, all of them grinning with delight when they realised they were no more than a few hundred yards from the mouth of the harbour and that luck had favoured them once more.

"Unfurl th'sails an' run out th'sweeps," Jack ordered, still talking quietly in the hope that those on watch on the clifftops would be asleep. "Let's get th'bastard fer once an' fer all." He paced the deck, itching for the attack to start and he mentally urged his ship on faster, especially when he saw that it was the _Sea's Cutlass_ that was nearest the harbour entrance. "Gotcha!" he grinned, nodding at Gabriel Jennings who had also spotted the ship. Jack could hear Thomas Frazer coaxing the men on the sweeps to put more effort into it and Jacob Sumner ordering the men to let loose more sail and he prided himself on having such a good crew.

"They've spotted us, Cap'n," Jacob informed him. "But I still reckon we'll hammer 'em!"

"That we will," Jack agreed. "Stow th'sweeps an' man th'guns," he ordered, "an' arm yourselves with pistols. I want no survivors, savvy?"

"Aye," the men chorused and the decks of the black pirate ship became a hive of activity as they prepared for the coming battle.

Jack nodded and grinned as he made his way down to the gundeck, waiting until his master gunner had finished giving his instructions. "Th'men know what ter do?"

"Aye, Cap'n – I've made damned sure of that! We reduce th'_Cutlass_ ter tinder then man th'sweeps an' get th'hell back out again."

"That we do, Mister Frazer," his captain nodded. "That we do. Good luck."

"An' you too, Cap'n. This one's fer Celia."

"Thank you," Jack acknowledged, placing his hands together and bowing his head before climbing back up to the main deck, his heart skipping a beat when he saw just how close to their adversaries they were.

"Fire when you see fit, Frazer!" he yelled, grabbing hold of the rail as his ship reverberated with the broadide that his gunner's cannons had let lose. "That was a bit bloody sudden, wasn't it?" he enquired, almost indignantly.

"Sorry, Cap'n," came the Scot's wry chuckle just before another volley rang out, inflicting serious damage to the port side of her adversary. "Keep at it!" he yelled at his men.

"Fire at those on board," Jack bellowed, pointing his pistol towards some of the crew of the _Cutlass_ who were trying to man some carronades on the main deck, smiling with grim satisfaction as one of them fell backwards, whether from his pistol or one of his men's, he did not know.

Round after round of shot was fired upon the hapless ship who was unable to respond thanks to lack men to man the guns and before long, the flag that had been fluttering from the top of the main mast came down quickly, indicating their surrender.

"Ignore it," Jack snarled, bloodlust raging through his veins. "No-one alive, remember?"

"Carry on, Cap'n?" Thomas called from below.

"They're not tinder yet, Mister Frazer!"

"Very true," he answered gleefully and another broadside smashed into what was left of the _Sea's Cutlass_.

"Time ter go, Cap'n," Elliot announced as he appeared over the ship's rail, dripping wet having swum to and back from the other ship nearest the docks. "Th'fuses are lit an' they've enough powder on board ter have blown Tortuga up if it were still there."

"Frazer, time ter go," Jack barked. "An' look sharp about it!"

The _Black Pearl_ shook as the cannons were moved and stowed and the long oars were deployed through starboard holes and started to stroke through the water, turning the large ship around, almost on her axis, until her bow was facing the harbour mouth and then all the oars rowed, pushing them away from danger.

"Pity we couldn't have gone back fer Noah," John Orchard lamented, touching his forehead as he looked towards the wharf where his crewmate and friend had died.

"Aye," Jack agreed sadly. "We'll hold a memorial to him as soon as we can, eh?"

"That'd be good, Cap'n, thanks."

"Move!" Jack yelled, thinking they were not travelling fast enough away from the harbour for his liking.

"Th'wind should catch th'sails as soon as we clear th'entrance," Jacob called down

"We might not _reach_ th'entrance," Jack fretted, glancing back at the _Cutlass_. "Shouldn't it have blown by now, Deane?"

"I made it a long fuse," the younger man admitted. "Give us enough time ter get away, like."

"An' fer th'fuse ter go out!" Gabriel Jennings cried with exasperation.

"It won't go out!" Elliot argued. "Not th'amount of powder I laid out…" he added with a grin.

"You'd better be…" Jack did not have chance to finish his words as the ship rocked with the sheer force of the explosion from the _Fair Maiden_ which in turn set off an explosion on the Sea's_ Cutlass_. "Get th'bloody hell out of here _now_!" he yelled, panic-stricken. "An' keep a watch fer burnin' debris." He ran as best he could to the side of the ship and threw a pail over into the water, drawing it up quickly and hurling it over some burning wreckage that had already settled on the deck. "Get more water up!" he ordered desperately as he repeated the process again. Jack's heart sank as he heard a cry of alarm from the rigging and he look up, horrified to see the foresail alight.

"Cut it down!" he practically screamed, along with several of the crew. "Fer God's sake, get rid of it!"

Jacob Sumner jumped down from where he had been on the rigging and ran over to the foremast, hacking away at the ropes lashing the burning sail to the mast. "Pauly!" he called up. "Cut th'fuckin' ropes!"

The crewman on the foremast yardarm glanced down at his immediate superior and then back at the burning sail beneath him, gulping loudly, before taking his short sword from its sheath and chopping at the ropes, all the while fighting the panic welling inside him. "T-th'flames are gettin' higher!" he cried, scything blindly and missing most of the ropes he was supposed to be aiming for.

"Shift, yer useless bleedin' prat!" Elliot snarled, shoving the frightened man to one side, having climbed along the rigging to reach the foremast, and he cut the ropes swiftly, gasping with relief as the burning cloth flew away and in to the sea. "I've a mind ter throw yer in with it, Pauly Smith!"

"I-I…" the hapless crewman stuttered, staring at the smouldering sail. "I couldn't…"

"Yer don't say…?" Elliot sneered contemptuously. "Get yer useless arse down there now, I 'spect th'cap'n'll want a word with yer…" The young crewman watched helplessly with horror as Pauly Smith threw himself off the yardarm, landing on the deck with a sickening thud that even he could hear from his lofty position.

"Bloody hell…" Jack murmured, closing his eyes briefly and sighing as he opened them again and looked at the body of his crewman. "You stupid bastard…"

"Sorry, Cap'n, but there's no time ter mourn," Gabriel apologised. "Still got tinder comin' down."

"Aye, that we have, Mister Jennings," he agreed, stamping on a piece of debris as he made his way back to the side to fetch more water.

…

"I still can't believe he jumped," Elliot lamented for the umpteenth time as he sat in the mess with his mates, going over the events of the day. "I never…"

"I know yer didn't, lad," Jack assured him as he stood in the doorway. "Fear does funny things to a man's mind – t'wasn't your fault, savvy?"

"He was a weak fool anyway," Adam Butler sneered. "Good riddance ter him, I say…"

"Any more talk like that, Butler, an' it'll be _you_ that will be got rid of, understood?"

"But Cap'n…"

"I said _understood_?" Jack snapped, glaring angrily at the man.

"Aye, only too well," Adam muttered sourly.

"Glad ter hear it. We'll make Port-de-Paix in two turns," Jack informed the men. "No drinkin' until shore leave, savvy?"

A chorus of 'Aye Cap'n', rang around the mess and Jack turned on his heel, leaving them to their discussions.

"Do we hold a memorial fer Smith as well?" Myles Burford enquired as he caught up with his captain. "Or just bury him at sea?"

"I don't know," Jack admitted with a frown. "Was he popular with th'others?"

"Most got on all right with him, but he tended ter keep himself ter himself – never joined in with th'fun an' games that all crews get up ter."

"I suppose it would be churlish not ter hold a service, even though he very nearly burned my precious ship ter th'bare bones. We'll wait until we pick Celia an' Gibbs up, Gibbs does a better service than I do."

"Aye, I suppose that's somethin' yer goin' ter have ter get used to once he retires, _again_."

"Again!" Jack echoed with a snort of amusement. "I reckon he only keeps on retirin' so as ter get another payoff from me."

"There's an idea!" the helmsman teased, dodging a playful blow from his captain. "I'll go an relieve Gabriel fer th'last bit of th'journey."

"Aye, thanks fer all yer did today, Myles."

"A pleasure, Cap'n, as always."

…

"Bye, Celia," Aggie gulped tearfully, hugging her friend. "Yer take care, y'hear?"

"I'll be fine," Celia sniffed, biting her lip in a vain effort to stop more tears from spilling. "You take care of _yourself_."

"Yer know me," the red haired woman grinned. "I'm like a cat – always land on me feet!"

"Maybe I can come and visit you?"

"Nah, I doubt Jack'll let yer… but maybe he can drop by an' let me know how yer all doin'?"

"I'll blackmail him!" Celia chuckled, finally releasing her friend. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss yer," Aggie gulped, wiping her eyes on the sleeve of her dirty dress. "See ya…" She watched as her friend carefully climbed down into the ship's boat, with Jack's aid, and waved until her arms ached and the small boat reached the hull of the black pirate ship. She turned away once Celia was safely on board and took a deep breath; ready to start her new life in a new town.

"Why did we have the leave Aggie behind?" Milly enquired, looking tearfully up at her mother.

"Because she needs to work and she wouldn't be able to where we're going," Celia explained, holding her daughter's hand and squeezing it.

"_Where_ are we going?"

"I don't know," Celia admitted, walking back into the cabin and looking around again, taking the time to let the memories form and fill her mind until the sound of Connor's voice penetrated her thoughts and she absently scooped him up and walked to the stern seats, sitting down and holding both of her children to her, which is where Jack found them some time later, sound asleep.

"Come on, little man," he whispered, gently picking Connor up and placing him in the small makeshift bed that John Orchard had made, then doing the same with his sister, who opened a bleary eye and smiled at him as he set her down beside Connor. "Sleep well, my darlin'," he crooned softly, kissing her forehead then doing the same to Connor.

"It's a good job the Navy can't see you now," Celia remarked as she watched him.

"It's a good job my _crew_ can't see me now," he chuckled as he straightened up and stretched out his hand to her. "M'bunk's bigger…" he tempted. "Orchard did it…" He broke off, pulling a rueful face as he remembered when his carpenter had made a new bunk, during the repairs to his precious ship when Celia absconded.

"Why?" she asked. "If I had… gone?"

"I suppose I thought that I'd find you again," he shrugged. "I never thought you'd be so damned good at hidin' an' stayin' hidden."

"I'm sorry," Celia sighed, frowning as she looked into his eyes. "I'm so sorry I hurt you."

"I forgave you a long time ago," he smiled, pulling her closer. "Just don't do it again, eh?"

"Never," she stated firmly. "Even if I could with two, nearly three, children in tow! Where are we going?"

"Right now, my… _our_ bunk! We'll discuss th'rest tomorrow, eh?"

"Our bunk…" she chuckled, winding her arms around him as best as her bulk would allow and capturing his lips with hers. "I could get used to the sound of that…"

"Well do," he grinned, the lamplight twinkling in his eyes. "An' when we get you settled in a house, we'll have a bed all to ourselves…"

"You've clearly never lived with children!" Celia remarked, arching her eyebrow.

"I'll put a bolt on th'door!" he threatened as his fingers made a start on the laces of her dress. "We'll have ter get you some new clothes," he murmured, kissing her skin as it was exposed. "Or I could just leave yer naked in my cabin…"

"Stop dreaming and undress me," she urged, arching her back as he nipped on her collarbone. "Oh, Jack…" she gurgled, pulling his shirt from his breeches and running her hands up his back.

"Yer getting' bossy," he teased, pulling her dress down and revealing her enlarged breasts. "I never knew pregnancy did this ter a woman's tits," Jack rasped, cupping both in his hands and sucking hard on a nipple.

"Gently," Celia gasped. "They are more tender than usual…"

"Sorry, luv," he chuckled, easing off a little. "I guess I've got a lot ter learn fer next time."

"Yes…" she groaned as the feeling became more pleasurable. "And I'm sure you're a fast learner…"

"You'd better believe it," Jack muttered, not breaking contact with her. "Get that dress off."

"Who's being bossy now?" Celia giggled, wriggling the dress past her bump until it fell in a heap at her feet. "Happy?"

"Ecstatic!" Jack declared, finally breaking away from her and looking her up and down in the lamplight. "Definitely ravishin'," he winked, running his hands down her body and grinning as the baby kicked. "Just how much bigger will yer get?"

"If Connor was anything to go by, _very _much!" Celia laughed, the noise turning to a moan as he started to kiss down her body, stopping at her belly button and teasing his tongue around it, before carrying on downwards until he reached the fuzz of hair between her legs, grinning to himself as she moaned some more.

"Enjoyin' this?" Jack enquired, darting his tongue out and licking her folds briefly, savouring the taste of her once more, but not continuing.

"Stupid question," she gasped, grasping the edge of the bunk for support as she pushed her hips forward, eager for more of his attentions. "_Please_, Jack."

"Hmm, now, should I make her beg…?" he mused aloud, pressing his finger against his lips as if deep in thought.

"I'll make you beg for mercy in a minute!" Celia warned, kicking him playfully in the ribs.

"Mmm, I love forceful women…" Jack chuckled as he flicked his tongue along her folds again before parting them with his fingers and plunging his tongue into her, drawing a gasp of desire and shock from her, which turned to a groan of disappointment as he withdrew almost immediately. "You'll be much more comfy on th'bunk…"

"You'll be dead if you don't stop teasing me!"

"Lie on top of me an' I might well be!" Jack laughed, helping Celia to climb up onto the bunk.

"There's a thought…" she replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You, Captain Sparrow, are overdressed as usual…"

"An' overdressed I'll stay until I've finished with you, my girl," he growled, thrusting his head between her legs and sinking his tongue deep within her, smiling inwardly as it elicited a cry from Celia's lips.

"S-sweet… M-Mary…" she gasped, clutching the coverlets as his tongue explored and swirled around inside her whilst his fingers worked on her nub, making the desire sweeping through her body almost unbearable, "J-Jack…" she cried, grabbing a pillow and stuffing it against her mouth to dull her screams as he sent her over the edge and kept her there as he carried on with his ministrations until Celia was squirming to get away from him. "S-stop… please, stop, Jack…" she panted.

"Your wish is my command," he whispered huskily as he moved from between her legs and leaned over her, his eyes huge and glinting with lust. "I'd forgotten just how good you taste," Jack smirked, shifting to the side so he could kiss her, moaning in her mouth as her tongue eagerly lapped up her own juices. '_Bloody hell, Mouse taught you well_,' he mused to himself. "Lie on yer side," he urged as they parted, "an' bring yer one knee up."

Celia did as he instructed while Jack hastily undressed himself, sighing blissfully when he curled his body against her back, then shuddered with delight as he eased himself into her, adjusting his position until he was fully sheathed within her hot tunnel.

"I can never get enough of you," Jack purred in her ear, thrusting upwards then almost withdrawing before pushing hard into her again. "Never could…"

"Oh, Jack," Celia moaned, not able to do anything but lie there and enjoy the feel of his member slamming into her and his fingers squeezing and tweaking her nipple. "You can have as much of me as you want."

"Oh, I intend ter," he growled ferally, making her shiver once more. "Squeeze me, Celia," he begged, feeling the desire bubbling inside like a cauldron. "Please…"

"Your wish is _my_ command," she chuckled, bringing her leg down slightly and tightening her grip on his manhood. "Not tight enough…?" she teased, clamping down harder.

"B-bloody hell!" he gasped as molten fire coursed through his veins and ended at the tip of his erection. "C-can't hold on… Celia!" he cried, thrusting hard as he emptied his seed deep inside her while she wiggled her hips, milking him dry. "Christ, woman!" Jack panted, resting his forehead against her shoulders as he fought to recover himself. "You haven't had your…"

"I have!" Celia assured him with a laugh. "I don't think I have the energy for another one."

"Bloody hell, I'd forgotten how good we can be," Jack murmured as he withdrew slowly, wincing at the loss of contact.

"I hadn't," she replied quietly. "I never forgot anything about you, Jack."

"Oh, luv," he whispered, looking into her eyes as she rolled back over. "If only…"

"Shh… there's nothing you can do about _if onlys_," she smiled, placing her fingers against his lips. "And everything you can do about the here and now."

"That sounds like somethin' I'd say," Jack grinned, kissing her fingers. "I love you," he murmured.

"I love you," Celia smiled, replacing her fingers with her lips and kissing him deeply. "I always have..."


	8. Chapter 8

Usual disclaimers

Well, this is it – the end. After eight stories (plus one unpublished), I have reached the end of my Jack Sparrow stories. I would like to thank everyone who has read them and especially to those who have taken the trouble to review, your many kind words have been greatly appreciated.

Kind regards – Ani.

…

**Epilogue**

Jack Sparrow ambled down the street, humming to himself; breaking into the occasional chuckle as he recalled the antics of his crew who he had left to continue celebrating the magnificent haul they had captured a few days ago. He would have still been making merry with them, but he found he no longer got as drunk as he did, wryly blaming Celia for turning him into a respectable gentleman. He skittered to a halt and backed up on himself as he realised that he had missed a shortcut, which would take him down to the docks, grinning and shaking his head to himself as he headed down the alley. '_Must be drunker than I thought_…' he mused, pausing in his step halfway down the alley and frowning as he glancing over his shoulder at an imagined noise, but finding nothing else in the alley, save a couple of cats. Shrugging, he went on his way, still keeping an ear open, but he was still slow to react when someone jumped on him from behind, knocking him to the ground.

"Thought yer could hide, eh, Sparrow?" the large, dishevelled figure snarled, reaching down to haul Jack up, but the pirate captain managed to roll out of the way and scrambled to his feet, fumbling with the dagger encased in its sheath at his waist.

"An' yer attack unarmed men now, tsk, tsk," his assailant mocked, spreading his arms wide to show he had no weapons.

"Who are you, what do you want?" Jack demanded, keeping his hand on the hilt of the dagger, but ceasing trying to unsheathe it. He peered at the dirty man, dressed in tattered rags and with a large bushy beard covering most of his face and Jack cursed himself for being so stupid as to walk back to the ship without a guard. The whole of San Juan knew of The _Pearl's_ haul and he should have known that some would hate him for it and try to either rob him or get their revenge.

"My, what a poor memory yer have, Cap'n," the man taunted. "Don't even recognise a former crewman…"

"Eh? Jack frowned, leaning forward as he took a closer look. "Mouse…?" he queried, his eyes going wide in astonishment as he realised that his guess was correct. "You… went down; drowned…" he puzzled.

"Ah, at last!" Oliver Fernan cried, clapping his hands together in a scornful gesture. "Th'great an' infamous Jack Sparrow isn't as drink addled as I thought! No, Sparrow, I didn't drown," he snapped," three fuckin' days I was in th'water, near ter death. Three days! But now I've come fer what is rightfully mine."

"Eh?" Jack replied, cocking his head and playing dumb, his fingers slowly curling around the hilt of the dagger once more. "An' what might that be?"

"Ha!" Oliver snorted derisively, "Yer know damned well what, Sparrow – my woman an' children."

"Your woman? Who might she be, then?"

"Stop fuckin' playin' dumb, yer bastard!" Oliver spat, launching himself at his former captain and catching him unawares with a blow to the jaw, which sent Jack reeling back to the ground. "Almost fours years I've been searchin' for her, scratching a livin', stealin' food an' boats as I made my way ter Grand Turk only ter find she had gone, an' was wanted fer questionin' about two men that had been found dead in our house."

"An' what makes you think I know where she is?" Jack demanded, getting to his feet once more. "Eh?" He ducked as Oliver aimed another blow at him, and caught the helmsman in the midriff with his own punch, doubling the much larger man up. Jack brought his knee up and caught Oliver on the jaw, sending him sprawling.

"Y'think I gave up there?" Oliver gasped as he fought to recover. "I made my way ter Tortuga, only ter find it gone, razed ter th'ground; some fuckin' _king_ you turned out ter be!" he taunted. "There were some still there, in a worse state than me; almost feral, an' you deserted them."

Jack sensed that Oliver's mind had wandered slightly and attempted another attack, only to find he had underestimated his foe, and a punch low in his belly had him gasping for breath and his eyes swimming. "Did not desert them…" he rasped, wincing at the agony.

"Doesn't matter," Oliver dismissed carelessly. "What matters is Celia, an' _my_ children. I was lost; couldn't think how I was goin' ter find you again with Tortuga gone, but then I remembered that yer a creature of habit, aren't yer, Sparrow, an' so here I am… now where's Celia?"

"Nowhere you can find her!" Jack snarled, giving up the pretence. "An' Milly's mine; Connor might as well be," he goaded, thinking it best that Oliver didn't know of the existence of his other son, Flynn. "C'mon, Mouse, let it go… Celia wouldn't go back ter you even if you _did_ find her."

"Why, are yer married t'her? Thought not," the Irishman spat. "You were prepared ter take her innocence, prepared ter pretend that my children are yours, but yer _not_ prepared ter make an honest woman of her, are yer, Sparrow? Too concerned about yer precious reputation."

"You didn't marry her," Jack shot back, the truth of the accusation rankling him.

"I couldn't, you stupid bastard! In th'eyes of th'church, I'm already married."

Jack mentally kicked himself for forgetting that Oliver had been married whilst still in Ireland, and his former crewman took the opportunity of his distraction to launch another, more sustained attack, which left Jack desperately trying to fend him off.

"Mouse," he pleaded, wiping away blood tricking down his cheek. "I'll give yer money, enough money to get yourself back on yer feet, eh?"

"I don't want money," came the riposte. "Just Celia…"

"Celia wouldn't want you, she's happy with me; th'children are happy with me, I'm sorry."

"No!" Oliver cried and leapt forward once more, cursing loudly as Jack managed to skitter out of the way. "That's right, run, yer snivelling bastard."

"I'm not runnin'," Jack reasoned, facing his nemesis from arms length. "I don't blame yer for being angry with me, Mouse, I felt th'same when I realised that you an' Celia had been together fer five years; I was jealous of you. But she told me that she never loved you as she loved… _loves_ me."

"Liar! Yer just sayin' that!"

"I'm not, an' I suspect you know it." Let her go, Oliver, b'fore she destroys you…"

"No! I can't do that!" the Irishman raged, hurling himself towards his former captain once more.

Jack saw what was coming and moved quickly out of the way, turning and looking in horror as the larger man lost his footing and fell to the ground, a sharp crack ringing out as his head struck the cobbles, and Oliver lay still, blood seeping from his nose and ear. "Sweet Jesus, no!" Jack cried, falling to his knees, but knowing there was nothing he could do to help the man he once regarded as the best helmsman he had ever known. "Bloody hell, Mouse…" he sighed, bowing his head in respect. "You bloody fool…"

…

"Mama!" Milly gasped as her mother twirled and posed in front of the full length mirror in the wedding gown made from the finest pale blue silk that Jack had turned up with a few weeks ago and announced that it was time she made an honest man out of him. "You look like a queen!"

"And you're a princess," Celia smiled at her daughter, wearing a lemon dress and holding a posy of flowers. "Now run along and I'll be there soon," she chivvied, bending to kiss her daughter on the cheek before turning to admire herself once more. She thought of Jack and the sudden change in his attitude since he returned from San Juan, and wondered what had happened, for now matter how much she pressed him, he insisted that nothing was wrong and that nothing had happened in the town, a fact which every member of his crew that Celia had questioned, confirmed. But she knew Jack better than that, and vowed that one day she would find out.

"Celia, pet? Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be, Joshamee!" she called to the waiting man. She picked up her own posy of flowers and walked from her room and down the stairs, a smile on her face.

"Why, Celia! You look beautiful!" the former quartermaster of the _Black Pearl_ declared in astonishment as she came into view. "Jack is a very lucky man."

"Yes… isn't he?" she joked acerbically.

"I'm sorry, Celia, Beth was sick everywhere an' I had to change her!" Jane May, a friend of Celia's from the village, apologised, holding up the now clean baby for her mother to inspect. "I'll take the boys an' hurry on before you."

"Oh, don't worry about it," Celia chuckled, taking her youngest child off her friend and handing her the posy to carry, as Flynn slipped his hand into his mothers, and Conner and Milly ran on ahead, both chattering excitedly. "No, Joshamee, I reckon _I'm_ the lucky one," Celia smiled as they made their way to the church and the next chapter of her eventful life.

**The End**


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